Dr. Science is a thinky, may-follow trick-taking game where you play cards from your hand or tableau, constantly weighing tricks against rebuilding your hypothesis for prestige.

Each player begins with 12 cards: 11 dealt from the deck plus their unique Researcher card. On your turn, follow the PhD sequence:

Play – First, play any card from your hand or tableau to the current trick. You do not have to follow suit. Playing from your tableau may break your hypothesis. Playing your Specialty suit activates it as the trump suit for the trick. Only one trump suit may be active each trick.

Hypothesize – Then optionally add 1–4 cards from your hand to your tableau, building or extending sets and runs to earn Validation cards. Your tableau may remain invalid for as long as you like, but after you Hypothesize, every card in your tableau must belong to a valid set or run.

Draw – Finally draw one card from the display or the top of the deck to end your turn.

After all players have taken their turn, the highest card in the led suit or trump suit (if activated) wins the trick. The trick winner collects the cards and leads the next trick.

When the draw pile and display are empty, each player takes one final turn. Then score your Validation cards, tricks, and tableau. The scientist with the most prestige wins.