Chicago politics ain’t for sissies. Neither is this game. The stakes are high. Some people think the mayor (da MARE) is the most important person in this town. But true political beasts like you know that most powerful is the chair of the Finance Committee. Not only do you control the money, the average Chicagoan on the street doesn’t know who you are, so you can serve in relative obscurity for decades, unless you do something foolish like get caught with a small arsenal in your office in City Hall.
But first you have to get elected to the City Council. And since you’re a first-time candidate, the competition will be fierce. And then you’ll have to hang on to your seat and build your clout.
To begin, you’ll need one die (or a dice app) and one game piece for every player. Then decide whether to ally yourself with the old-school Chicago pols or position yourself as a progressive.
The rules are simple: You roll the dice. You move your game piece ahead. (Have you played a board game before?) You follow the directions on the square. If a destination is in boldface (e.g., CHICAGO TONIGHT), you move to that square.
If you land on FAVORS (or get sent back to FAVORS) you can either stay there and wait for your next turn, or you can arrange to do a favor for any other player in exchange for switching places on the board. It’s the Chicago way! The favor does not have to have anything to do with the game. You have 30 seconds to complete your negotiation. If your deal is accepted, you don’t have to follow the punitive instructions on your new square.
The person who first lands on YOU WIN! . . . wins.
Congratulations, Mr. or Madam Chairperson!