Ever played a classic trick-taking game but wished it had a twist of mathematics and mischief? Plotters, Inc. (originally released as Mit List und Tücke) is exactly that: a trick-taking experience that breaks the mold. Instead of just winning as many tricks as possible, the goal is to carefully manage which colors you collect to maximize your final score, requiring much more strategic foresight than your average card game.

The game starts with each player receiving 14 cards. The lead player sets the trump suit, but there's a catch: once three different colors have been played in a trick, the fourth color becomes forbidden. The winner of the trick (the highest trump) collects the majority of the cards. Meanwhile, the player who played the lowest non-trump card takes the remaining cards and earns the right to lead the next trick.

The truly unique part is the scoring system. Once you've collected cards of all four colors, you must choose two colors to keep face-up (your scoring colors) and place all others face-down (your divisors). At the end, you multiply the totals of your two face-up colors and divide that product by the number of face-down cards. Yes, you read that right: collecting too many cards of the wrong colors can tank your score! If you only collect one color, you score zero points.

The round ends after 14 tricks or immediately if a player is forced to play the forbidden fourth color. The game lasts for as many rounds as there are players, and the overall winner is the one who best balances arithmetic and betrayal. It's a game of risk where winning the trick isn't always the best move, as you might end up picking up cards that ruin your final calculation.