221B Baker Street: The Master Detective Game is a board game featuring Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes and developed by Jay Moriarty (dba Antler Productions) in 1975[1] and sold by the John N. Hansen Co. in the US since 1977.
The players have to solve cases using the clues provided by visiting locations on the board such as 221B Baker Street, Scotland Yard, Apothecary and Pawn Broker.
The Deluxe Edition also includes all new artwork, board design, and collectible Sherlockian metal tokens.
A time limit to read the clue is recommended after which the book must be closed and play passed to the next player.
If a person wishes more time (or needs to check again) then he must stay for an extra move (or return to the location if previously vacated) to get another attempt.
Upon returning to the starting point the player must announce (publicly) the essentials of the crime: typically the culprit, the weapon used and the motive.
Only one of each card may be held by a player at one time, although replacements may be gained by visiting Scotland Yard or the Locksmith's (both locations with clues).
In that way the player works 'backwards' across the board (back towards 221B rather than away from it), and so after gaining many clues will be closer to 221B than a player who worked from 221B outwards (and so might be the opposite side of the board – and hence the furthest distance from the 'end' at 221B when enough clues are read to provide the solution.)
They can be purchased separately or are all available in the new Deluxe edition, which includes the complete set of 180 cases, plus 20 more.
In the January 1990 edition of Games International (Issue 12), Kevin Jacklin thought that "the system generally works well, although sometimes the choice of location for certain clues appears to be random."
He concluded, "Despite occasional errors and misprinted clues the atmosphere is good and several cases may be played in an evening.
"[2] In a retrospective review of 221B Baker Street in Black Gate, Bob Byrne said "Overall, 221B is a decent game.