Gang of Four

Climb the ladder by beating each combination played before you and be first to empty your hand.

Designer: Lee Yih
Published by: Days of Wonder
Editions by: Edge Entertainment, Happy Baobab, Jeux Dargaud, The Game Dealers Ltd.

Be first to get rid of every card in your hand, and you climb to power. Gang of Four is a ladder-climbing card game for three or four players: one player leads a combination, the next must beat it with a stronger combination of the same type or pass, and the round goes on until someone takes the trick and leads again. The twist is that a misstep leaves you stuck with cards, and the cards left in your hand at the end of a hand cost you. The name comes from the four radicals who dominated Chinese politics in the 1970s, and the game was conceived in that upheaval. Think Big Two or Tichu with a leaner, quicker rhythm, over in around forty minutes.

Beat the previous play with a stronger combinationFirst to empty your hand wins the roundLeftover cards cost you points

Who it's for

You like Big Two or Tichu-style card games and want a compact version for three or four players at a quiet table.

Not for you if…

You want a game for large groups or one without any card-counting. It works for exactly three or four, and the tactics reward paying attention.

Vibe's take

Brisk and cutthroat in a quiet way. Every hand is a puzzle of when to spend your strong sets, and one mistimed play leaves you stuck holding cards.