How to Play Don Capollo

1. Game Objective

In Don Capollo, players take on the role of the children of Chicago's greatest mobster, who has just been the target of an assassination attempt. The goal is to manage the family business to accumulate money and power. At the end of the game, the player with the most power points will be named the successor and become the new “Capo dei Capi”. In the event of a tie in points, the tie-breaker is the amount of money accumulated.

2. Setup

1. Organize the power cards into separate piles by value (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10), keeping them accessible to everyone.
2. Shuffle the business card deck and place it in the center of the table (draw pile).
3. Place the money tokens in the center to form the common supply.
4. Each player receives:
   • 1 character token (with the game summary on the back).
   • 1 favor card in the color corresponding to their character.
   • 5 one-thousand silver tokens.
   • 5 business cards (kept secret in hand).

3. Game Flow

The oldest player starts the game. On each turn, the player must perform exactly one main action. Additionally, they may perform as many free actions as they wish, in any order (before, during, or after the main action). When the player finishes their actions, play passes to the player on the left.

The game ends when the draw pile runs out for the second time (after the discard pile has been shuffled and reused once). The last player completes their turn before the final count.

4. Actions and How to Play

Main Actions (Choose only one per turn):

1. Draw one business card from the draw pile (face down) and one money token from the common supply.
2. Flip two business cards from the draw pile. The player must assign a destination to both (keep them, sell them, or trade them).
3. Pay one money token to the common supply to flip three business cards. The player must assign a destination to all of them.

Free Actions (Can be performed at any time, including outside your turn, as indicated):

• Start or develop a business: Place cards from your hand onto the table. Each player can control a maximum of 2 types of businesses (rows) simultaneously. Identical cards can be stacked vertically (up to 5 cards for maximum points).
• Sell or trade cards: Negotiate cards with other players. The deal is finalized when the active player says “deal closed.”
• Discard 3 money tokens: To buy a face-down card from the deck (maximum of twice per turn).
• Accountability: Discard a row of cards to receive money and power points according to the card's table. Can be done even outside your turn.
• Call in a favor: Return the favor card to the owner to perform a special action (steal a card from a hand, take a card from the table, or steal a flipped card). Can be done outside your turn.
• Ask for a donation: Take money from the supply by paying with power points. Can be done outside your turn.

5. End of Game and Scoring

The game ends after the draw pile is exhausted for the second time. The final count then takes place:

• All players must perform the accountability for all remaining cards in their hands or on the table.
• If a player holds another player's favor, the holder gains +1 power point and the debtor loses -1 power point.
• Every $5 in money can be exchanged for 1 power point. Remaining money is only used for tie-breaking.
• The winner is the one with the most power points. In the event of a tie, the player with the most money wins.

6. Tips for Winning

• Focus on Power: Remember that money is just a tool. What defines the winner are the power points; do not hesitate to convert your resources to secure these cards.
• Space Management: Since you can only maintain two types of businesses at a time, use accountability strategically to free up space and convert cards into points before your opponents block your negotiations.
• Using Favors: The favor is a powerful "final argument." Try to obtain them during negotiations and save them for critical moments, such as acquiring the 5th card of a valuable business that an opponent refuses to sell.