Using mechanics similar to Union Pacific or its predecessor, Airlines, this game is about acquiring stock interests in the various aspects of a large corporation. There are six different type of stock, which will reward the majority and sometimes the minority stockholders throughout the game. Stock is made available by drawing cards on a four-card queue. Each of the positions on the queue is a different stock market, which means there are four different currencies (Dollar, Euro, Ruble, Yen). The currency cards are drawn from another queue on the same board. A turn is quite simple either take one of the four available currency cards, or use some of your currency cards to purchase one of the available stocks. If you pay more than the amount indicated on the stock card, the excess is lost. However, if you purchase the stock for the exact printed price, then you can buy another stock, and so on. After two randomly distributed payouts, the game ends with a final payout with the final stock card. The player with the highest payout point total is the winner.
The original version of the game was published by db-Spiele and called Al Capone. A description of this version:
Using Influence cards, you collect Trade cards from different areas of town under the Mafia control, giving you control over the Distillery, the Chinese Laundry, the Betting Shop etc. If you spend the exact amount of Influence required, you get another turn and so on. Scoring occurs randomly twice during the game and at the end. When the first scoring occurs, only the majority holder in each Trade scores. When the second scoring occurs, the first and second majority holders scores, and at the final scoring, the first three majority holders score. Ties are split accordingly.
Dirk Henn reworked the theme into a tile laying game known as Alhambra which went on to win the Spiel des Jahres in 2003.
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