Classroom Games

Old-School GamesLines and DotsPaper FootballCharadesRock, Paper, Scissors Extreme

Dice GamesDrop DeadDudoCragHooliganAces in the Pot Chicago10,000 or FarkleHelp Your NeighborDice GolfBattleship

Card GamesCribbageScat or 31SpeedSheepheadGolfEgyptian RummySpoons

Lines and Dots

This is a game for two or more people.

1. Print the template above, OR make your own game board, using a blank sheet of paper and fill a section of it (or the whole thing) with evenly spaced rows of dots about half an inch apart.

2. Start the game. Take turns drawing horizontal or vertical lines between adjacent dots connecting them together.

3. If you complete a full square, write your initial in the box and take another turn. If your line creates two boxes, then you get to put your initial in both of them. Some strategy will be involved to see if you can create more boxes than your opponent.

4. Continue playing until all the dots on the page are connected.

5. Count how many boxes each player has on the page. The player with the most boxes wins!

Here is a sample lines and dots game that is just getting started:

Lines and Dots car game Card 1

Paper FootballTo really play Paper Football, the first thing you need in a game of paper football is a properly constructed ball, and then you need to know how to play the game. The rules of the game are very simple.

Basically, the object of the game is to score touchdowns. To get a touchdown, you must flick the ball with you finger (you play on a straight edged table) and have the ball stop, with part of it sticking over the table, as seen here.

That is 6 points. Players take turns, one flick each back and forth until someone scores. If the ball goes off the table, you kick off. Hold the ball in your hand, resting on the palm, and toss it on the table by hitting your fingers on the underside of the table.

After a touchdown you can kick a field goal. Whoever is kicking hold the ball vertical between his finger and the table, and with his kicking hand, he flicks the ball with his finger. The other person is holding a field goal with his finger arranged in a position, look here.

If the ball sails between the two posts, it’s good for 1 point.

Making the football

Hey! I need a paper football, where can I buy one of those things?You can't buy them. Since you can't buy one, here is how you make one.

1.)Get a piece of paper, fold in in half longways (so you should have one long skinny half) 2.)Cut or tear along the seam. 3.)Holding the paper vertical (tallways) fold the corner down into a triangle. That should form a triangle. 4.)Continue to fold down making the triangles until you run out of paper to fold

5.)Tuck whatever excess paper into the "pocket" on the top of the ball. Congratulations, you now have a paper football.

Charades

Rules of Charades

I've found that the rules people use to play Charades vary from person to person, but I've provided a general guide to the rules I've found to be most consistent across all players.

What you'll Need

Charades Ideas, which you can get from either: http://www.charades-ideas.com/printable_cards.php

o Generating charades ideas cards online o Printing out charades ideas o Having everyone write ideas on blank slips of paper

Stopwatch, if you want to limit the amount of time a player has to act out a clue.

If You Want to Play Teams

Split everyone up into two teams. If you are using blank slips of paper, everyone should receive equal amounts of blank slips of paper. Have the players write down ideas for the opposing team to have to act out. Now obviously you could write impossibly hard clues, but in the effort of fairness/fun, try to keep the phrases down to earth. Place these slips in a hat (or other container), and when everyone is finished, place the hat in front of the opposing team.

Next, determine a 'batting' order for the players on the team. It is often easiest to just go down the line (if you are all sitting on a couch), or clockwise (if you are sitting in a circle).

Flip a coin to determine which team goes first. A player from that team should stand up and act out the clue. If the team can correctly identify the clue within the time limit, they get a point.

After the time is up, or the clue has been guessed, the next team goes, and you simply repeat from there till the final score is reached. The final score should be determined before the game. We often play to 10.

If you Want to Play Laid Back, with Everyone For Themselves

If your group is just wanting to play and not keep track of score, this is a great way to play Charades. If you are using blank slips of paper, have everyone write down their charades phrases and place them in a hat. If you are printed cards, cut them out and place them in the hat.

Ask for a volunteer or, if you are the host, you should go first. Take out a phrase from the hat and attempt to perform it. The first player to guess the clue correctly, stands up, draws a charades idea from the hat, and then it is their turn to act out a phrase.

Note: If someone is acting out a clue you wrote down (if you played with the paper method), once you realize they are acting out your clue, don't shout out the answer, and instead, stop playing.

How to Act Out a Charades Phrase

When acting out a clue, a player must get the other players to guess what phrase they have without making any sounds, or saying any words.

Normally, when a player starts to act out a clue, he/she/it should start by indicating how many words the phrase is, and then acting out each word at a time. You indicate to the other players how many words are in the phrase is by holding up fingers. If the phrase is, 'Fly Me To the Moon', you would hold up 5 fingers, to indicate 5 words. The players who are guessing should respond by saying the number of words aloud, "5 words". Next, if the player wants to act out the first word of the phrase 'Fly', then the player should hold up 1 finger, to indicate they want to act out the first word. The players who are guessing should respond by saying '1st word'.

The player can help push the guessers into the right direction by using some standard gestures for categories.

Book - Unfold your hands as if they were a book. Movie - Pretend to crank an old-fashioned movie camera. Play - Pretend to pull the rope that opens a theater curtain. Song - Pretend to sing. (but don't make any noise!!) TV - Draw a rectangle to outline the TV screen. Quote or Phrase: Make quotation marks in the air with your fingers.

Now go play!

If you have any suggestions on how to update these rules, please submit them below, where it says 'Tell Us What You Think'.

Rock, Paper, Scissors ExtremeThere are other versions. You can print out 7, 9, 11, 15, OR 101! I provided the 25 sheet.

http://www.umop.com/rps.htm

Drop DeadA good game requiring five dice and a score sheet.

Play:

Each player in turn rolls the five dice and scores when none of the dice thrown show a 2 or a 5. If a 2 or a 5 are not thrown the player scores the total of the numbers rolled. If a 2 or 5 is thrown they score nothing and put to one side all the dice showing a 2 or 5. These dice are dead and the player continues rolling without them, putting to one side any dice showing a 2 or a 5 and scoring when neither are thrown, until all the dice are eliminated.

Once the final die has turned up as a 2 or 5 the player is said to have dropped dead and it is the next player's turn. A running tally of a player's score is kept and the player with the highest score after every player has had a turn, wins the game.

Example Turn:

Numbers Thrown Throw's Score Total Score1, 2, 2, 4, 5 0 03, 4, 6 13 131, 4, 5 0 136, 4 10 231, 6 7 302, 5 0 30

DudoCommercially known as Perudo and sometimes called Peruvian Liar Dice. This game is said to have been taught to the Spanish conquistadors, by the Incas, in the 16th century. A game of guessing and bluff for any number of players who will each need five dice and ideally a throwing cup to conceal them.

Play:

Simultaneously, all the players roll the dice, keeping them covered so no one else can see what they have thrown. Each player takes a look at their dice. The first player then guesses how many, of all the player's dice, show a certain value and announces it. The next player announces their guess, which must be either a higher number of dice showing the same value, or the same or higher number of dice showing a greater value. For example the first player announces that there are seven 2s. The next player must announce a call of at least eight 2s or seven 3s. Players declare their estimates in turn until someone decides that a guess is too improbable or just plain impossible and challenges it by saying 'Dudo!' ('Dudo' means 'I doubt it!' in Spanish). As soon as a challenge is made everyone reveals their dice. If the challenge is correct and there are less dice than called, then the player who made the call loses a die. If the challenge was wrong and there are an equal or greater number of dice called, then the challenger loses a die. This ends the round and the player who lost a die starts the next one.

However, a player's estimate of how many dice of a certain value there are is complicated by the fact that 1s (Aces) are wild and represent any number. Once a challenge has been made all the dice showing the value declared and all the 1s are counted. So if the last call was seven 3s and a challenge is made revealing four 3s and three 1s the challenger loses. The first player may not call 1s but subsequent players may. Because 1s are wild, and the chances of a call of any other number winning are doubled, a player who calls 1s only has half the odds of being correct and so must reduce their call by half of the previous call of any other value. So if a call of seven 2s is made then the next call may be of four 1s (when halving an odd number of dice you must round up). 1s have no set value so a player may announce a call of 1s at any time even though this initially seems to be a call of a lower value. Once a player has announced a call of 1s the next player's call must be of either a greater number of 1s or greater than double the number of any other value. So if four 1s are called the next call must be of at least five 1s or nine of any other value.

Once a player is reduced to a single die they are said to be palifico and a round with slightly different rules is played. The palafico player starts this round in which 1s are no longer wild and may start with a call of 1s if he wishes. Subsequent player's calls must be of a greater number of dice of the same value. So the value doesn't change during the round. For example if the palafico player calls five 4s the next player must call at least six 4s and the next at least seven 4s. Each player is only palafico once in a game. The palafico round is not played when the game is reduced to two players.

Once a player has lost their last die he leaves the game and the player to the left starts the next round. The last player left with a die is the winner.

CragSimilar to the game of Yacht but faster, played with only three dice, and with differing scoring categories. A score sheet is needed to record player's scores.

Play:

Crag Score Sheet

Category Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7 Player 8 Player 9

Ones Total of all 1sTwos Total of all 2s

Aces in the PotA 1 on a dice is often referred to as an Ace which gives rise to the name of the game. Players are required to put into a pot or kitty so chips or counters are required as well as two dice. Best played with at least four players.

Play:

Before the game begins each player has two counters. Each player then in turn rolls the dice and may have to lose counters according to the numbers thrown. If one of the dice thrown shows a 1 they must put one of their counters in to the pot. If a double 1 is thrown they must put two counters in the pot (Aces in the Pot). If a 6 is thrown the player must pass one counter to the player on their left. If a double 6 is thrown two counters are passed to the player on their left (Sixes to the Side). All other numbers are meaningless.

Once a player has lost all their counters they must miss their turn and have to wait for a counter to be passed to them before they can resume throwing the dice. The player with the last counter then has three throws of the dice and has to avoid throwing a 6. If they fail and throw a 6 the counter and dice pass to the next player who in turn has three throws of the dice. The player, who throws the dice three times without a 6, wins the pot.

ChicagoAlso known as Rotation. This is a simple game of luck played with two dice.

Play:

Eleven rounds are played in which each player in turn throws the dice and successively tries to score all the possible totals of two dice - 2 to 12. Players either announce their score after each turn or points are recorded on a score sheet. If a player throws a total of 2 on the first round they score 2 points. If they throw a total of 3 on the second round they score 3 points, and so on up to 12, scoring accordingly. The player with the highest total score after all eleven rounds, wins the game.

Ten ThousandCommercially known as Farkle and sometimes by its French name Dix Mille. This is an absorbing game for any number of players using six dice. There are many variations of this game. The basic version is described first followed by a series of additional rules under the heading Variations. It is left to you to decide which alternative rules, if any, you wish to play.

Play:

Each player takes it in turn at rolling the dice and must set aside at least one scoring die (1s, 5s, triples, 3 pairs, or a run of 6. See score values below). Their turn continues, rolling the remaining dice, as long as they have thrown and set aside a scoring number or combination. Players announce their progressive score for their turn after each roll.

A player's turn ends when they either decide to stop and score their accumulated points or until they have a scoreless throw and score nothing for that turn. Should all six dice be set aside as scoring then the player may roll them all again and continue their tally.

Scoring combinations only count when made with a single throw. For example a player who rolls and puts aside a 1 and then throws two 1s with the next throw may only score 300 not a 1,000.

The first player to score a total of 10,000 or above, wins the game, provided any subsequent players, with a turn left, don't exceed their score.

Score Values1 = 100 points5 = 50 points

1, 1, 1 = 1,000 points#, #, # = # x 100 e.g. 2, 2, 2 = 200 points: 6, 6, 6 = 600 points

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 = 3,000 points3 pairs = 1,500 points (including four-of-a-kind and a pair)

Help Your NeighborA very old and fast moving dice game for two to six players. Best played with six. Three dice and at least ten counters per player are all that's needed.

Play:

Each player is assigned a number from 1 to 6, representing the numbers on a die. If only five are playing the 6 is ignored. If only four are playing both the 5 and 6 are ignored. With three players, each is given two numbers and with two players, each is given three numbers.

Each player in turn rolls the three dice. If any player's number comes up in a throw they must put a counter in the pot. For example if the first player rolls 5, 5, 3 then the player assigned the number 5 puts in two counters and the player assigned the 3 one counter. The first player to put all his counters in, wins and takes the pot. A set number of rounds are played with each player taking it in turn to be the first thrower.

Dice GolfA dice version of the Scottish club and ball game but you can play this at home with just three dice and a score sheet.

Play:

Each player in turn rolls three dice and continues to throw them until a double is thrown. Each throw that doesn't contain a double counts as a stroke. The throw that contains a double counts as the hole. The number of strokes and the throw that contained the double are counted and noted down for each player. 18 rounds are played representing the 18 holes of a golf course and the player with the lowest total of throws at the end of the game wins.

BattleshipAlso known as Ship, Captain, Mate, and Crew, Mariner, Destroyer and sometimes just Ship. Sometimes played in bars for drinks. Five dice are used.

Play:

Each player takes it in turn throwing the dice. In each turn a player has three throws of the dice and tries to roll and put to one side a 6 (the ship), a 5 (the captain), and 4 (the mate). The 6, 5, and 4 may not be rolled out of order so if the first throw contains a 6 and 4, but not a 5, only the 6 is put aside and the rest of the dice, including the 4, are rolled again. If a player fails to throw the 6, 5, and 4 after their three throws they score nothing. If after three throws a player has put aside the ship, captain and mate the remaining two dice (the crew) are totalled to form the players score. If all three in the sequence are rolled before the third and final throw then the remaining two dice (the crew) are rolled in the remaining turn(s) to improve the total of the players score.

The player with the highest crew total, wins the game. In the case of an equally high total all players must play the round again.

CribbageTWO HAND

A full deck of 52 cards should be used, King being high, Queen-Jack-10-9, etc., to Ace, which is always low.

Cut for deal; low card dealing.

Each player may shuffle the deck, dealer shuffling last, the deck being cut by dealer’s opponent (Pone). Deal six cards each.

THREE HAND

Deal five cards each and one card in the crib, and each player discards one card in the crib.

FOUR HAND

Deal five cards each and each player discards one card in the crib.

THE CRIB

After cards have been dealt, each player discards two cards from their hand, placing them face down on the table, these cards form “The Crib.” The “Crib” belongs to the dealer and is not used until the hands have been played out. The dealer scores any points contained in the crib, combined with the “Starter.”

THE STARTER

Pone then cuts the deck whereupon the dealer turns up the top card of the lower portion of the deck and places this card face up on the reunited deck. This turned up card is called the Starter, and is not used during the play of the hands. It is counted, however, with each hand and the “Crib” on the final count. If the Starter (S) is a Jack (called His Nobs) the dealer immediately scores two points providing these points are scored before the dealer plays a card. Otherwise the dealer cannot score them.

OBJECT OF THE GAME

Players attempt to form various counting combinations, as pairs, triplets, fours, sequences and fifteens. Combinations can be formed by the card played, or in the hands and crib in conjunction with the starter.

METHOD OF PLAY

Pone plays any card from their hand – placing it face up on the table in front of them, at the same time announcing the numerical (pip) value of the same. All face cards except Aces are valued as tens and all other cards according their number. Aces being ones. Then dealer then plays a card, placing immediately in front of them, and announces the value, which is the sum of his card and the one already played by the Pone, the game proceeds in the manner the value of each card being added to all cards previously played. The total sum of all cards must not exceed 31. If a player has no un-played card which will play within the sum of 31 he announces “Go”. This entitles their opponent to play and to continue to play until he reaches 31 or can play no further, so stating if it is impossible to proceed.

THE “GO”

The player who most nearly approaches 31 scores one point. If the player makes 31 exactly they score two points. If the last card that can be played makes 15, the player scores three points. (Explanation: The player gets two for making the 15 and one for the last card for the “Go”.

When 31 has been reached or a “Go” has been declared and pegged on the score board, each player turns the cards face down that have been played then begins to play again, leaving the cards face up in order to determine runs. A card can never be played that will make the total exceed 31. The players must play alternately except when on player has called a “Go” and the others can still play on or more cards.

POINTS OF PLAY

Fifteen – If a player plays a card making the numerical value of the cards played exactly fifteen, the player scores two points, announcing, “Fifteen-two”.

Pairs – If either plays a card which makes a pair (i.e. is of the same denomination as the last card played, as two fours or two jacks) the player scores two points.

Triplets, Threes or Pairs Royal – If, after a pair has been made, another card of the same denomination is immediately played (if no 31 or pegged go intervenes) the player of the third card scores six points for three pairs. (Thus the Queen of hearts, Queen of clubs, and Queen of spades. The Queen of hears and the Queen of clubs are one pair, the Queen of hearts and Queen of spades another, and the Queen of clubs and the Queen of spades is the third pair).

Four, Double Pairs or Double Pairs Royal – If, after a pair royal has been made, the fourth card of the same denomination is immediately played (if no 31 or pegged “Go” intervenes), the player of such fourth card scores twelve points for six pairs. (Thus, the four twos – 2 of hears and the 2 of diamonds are one pair, the 2 of hearts and the 2 of clubs a second, the 2 of hearts and 2 of spades a third, the 2 of diamonds and the 2 of clubs a fourth, the 2 of diamonds and 2 of spades a fifth, and the 2 of clubs and 2 of spades as a sixth.)

Sequence or Runs – When three or more cards, all in numerical sequence, are played, the player of the last card counts one point for each in the sequence, even though they are not played in numerical rotation. Ace being low, Queen, King, Ace would not be considered a sequence.

An Intervening Card or Duplicate “breaks” the sequence thus, 5-4-3-3. The 5-4-3 is a sequence of three cards, but the second 3 is not a sequence.

Note: Pairs, triplets, fours and sequences may be formed by the opponents playing alternately, and also by cards played from one hand (within the limit of 31) after the other player has declared a “Go”.

If a player overlooks a point, their opponent is entitled to take it if they see it.

SCORING

The cribbage board is placed horizontally between the players and each should start from the same end pegging down the outside edge and up the inside to Home. Two pegs for each player should be used. Each hole counts one point and when the second count is made instead of counting with the peg first used, the second peg should be used. After this the holes should be pegged by moving the rear peg ahead of the other. A GAME consists of 61 or 121 points. If the winner reaches 61 before their opponent get 31, or 121 before the opponent get 91, this is called a “Lurch” and is considered as two games won.

Scat or ‘31’This is a simple draw and discard game, suitable for players of all ages. Players have a three card hand and the aim is to collect cards in a single suit worth 31 points or as near as possible to that total. It is played in the USA, the UK and perhaps other places. In the USA it is usually called Scat, 31 or Blitz, but note that all of these names are somewhat ambiguous:

This Scat has no connection whatever with the German national card game Skat;

There are two other games called 31:o the German game 31, also known as Schwimmen, Schnauz or

Hosen 'runter, which is like the game on this page, except that cards are swapped with a central pool of three cards, rather than using a draw and discard mechanism;

o the banking game 31, which is similar to 21 except that the object is to draw cards adding as near as possible to 31 without exceeding it.

This Blitz is not to be confused with Dutch Blitz, which is a version of Racing Demon, sometimes played with special cards.

Eric Kent learned the game in the late 70's from older siblings, who had in turn learned it from friends visiting from the UK, and they called it Ride the Bus, and used a somewhat different method of keeping score.

PlayersFrom 2 to 9 or more people can play. Eric Kent suggests that the game is perhaps best when played with 3 players, but it should also work well with a larger group.

Cards and their valueA standard 52 card deck is used. For scoring hands, the ace is worth 11 points, the kings, queens, and jacks are worth 10, and all other cards are worth their pip value.

The value of a three card hand is calculated by adding up the value of the cards held in any one suit. So if you have three cards of the same suit, you can add up all three. If only two cards are in the same suit you can add those, or use the value of the odd card if it is higher than the sum of the other two. If you have three different suits the value of your hand is the value of the highest card in it. The maximum hand value is 31, consisting of the ace and two ten-point cards in the same suit.

Examples:K- 8- 5: value 23 (sum of all 3 cards)Q- 9- 8: value 17 (9 + 8)

A- 6- 4: value 11 (the ace is worth more than the spades)J- 7- 4: value 10 (the jack)

DealDetermine the first dealer in any manner you desire. The deal rotates clockwise with each hand. The cards are shuffled and the dealer deals the cards singly, starting with the player to dealer's left and continuing clockwise until everyone has a hand of three cards.

The next card is turned face up on the table to start the discard pile, and the remaining undealt cards are placed face down next to it to form the stock. During play, the discard pile is always kept "squared up" so that only the top card is visible and available to be taken.

PlayThe player to dealer's left begins and the turn passes clockwise around the table. A normal turn consists of:

1. drawing the top card either from the stock or from the discard pile;2. discarding one card on top of the discard pile.

Note that if you choose to take the top card from the discard pile, it is illegal to discard the same card, leaving the position unchanged. You must keep the card you took and discard one of the cards that was previously in your hand. However, if you draw the top card of the stock, you are free to discard the card that you drew onto the discard pile, leaving your hand unchanged.

Knocking

If at the start of your turn, you believe that your hand value is at least as high as your opponents can achieve with one more turn, you can knock instead of drawing a card. Knocking ends your turn; you must keep the hand you had at the start of that turn, but each other player gets one final turn to draw and discard. After the player to the knocker's right has discarded, all players reveal their cards. Each player decides which suit is their point suit, and totals up their cards in that suit.

The player with the lowest hand value loses a life. If there is a tie involving the knocker, the other player(s) lose a life, but the knocker is safe. The knocker loses if his or her score is lower than that of every other player, and in that case the knocker loses two lives. If there is a tie for lowest between two or more players other than the knocker, then both (all) of those players lose a life.

There is just one case where it is possible to pick up your own discard. This happens when there are only two players left in the game and your opponent knocks. The card you discarded just before the knock is still on top of the pile, so it

is now available for you to take back if you want it - for example if you had just broken up a suit for tactical reasons you can now restore it.

Declaring 31

If after drawing and discarding, or with the cards originally dealt, a player achieves hand value of 31, they show their cards immediately and claim victory. In this case all the other players lose. A player who gets 31 can declare it even after another player has knocked; victory is immediate and all the other players lose. If it happens that two or more players get 31 on the initial deal then all the players other than those with 31 lose.

ScoringThe normal way of scoring in Scat is that each player begins the game with three pennies. When you lose a life, you have to put one of your pennies into the kitty in the centre of the table. If you knock and lose, having the sole lowest hand, you pay two pennies (if you have that many).

If someone declares 31, all the other players have to put a penny in the kitty. If someone declares 31 after another player has knocked, the knocker just pays one penny, like everyone else.

If you have no money left, having lost all three of your pennies, you are said to be "on the county" (meaning on the dole, on welfare, receiving charity from the county, etc.), or "on your face". If you lose while on the county, you are out of the game. The game continues until only one player has not been eliminated, and that player is the winner.

SpeedNumber Of Players:

Speed card game is played with two players.

Objective:

The goal is to be the first player to play all of your cards.

Layout Rules:

The dealer deals out the cards as follows: For each player two reserve piles with five cards are placed to your right and 15 to the left, and place five or less in your hand.

How To Play:

Speed card game players begin by placing one card each from their hand, into the center of the center. Players lay their cards down as fast as possible, without taking turns. In Speed is played in either ascending or descending order. Players replenish their hand using the 20 cards dealt to them. Players can have five cards or less in their hand at any time. If a player is "stuck," and can’t play any cards from his hand, he may draw one card from his reserve pile. The player who gets rid of all their cards wins the game.

SheepsheadSheepshead is played with 32 cards, each with a different point value and strength. The object of the game is to get at least 61 points by taking a number of tricks.

Players The most common and way to play Sheepshead is with 5 players. Six players may sit at the table and the dealer just sits out the hand he is dealing. There are variations of the game which can be played with as little as 2 and up to 8 players. These games will be described later.

The Deck The deck consists of 32 of the 52 cards in a regular Poker-type deck of cards. The cards used in Sheepshead are all the suits of 7's, 8's, 9's 10's, Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces. The rest of the deck should be put aside, as it will not be used at all in the game of Sheepshead.

The Deal Decide who will deal first. Shuffle the deck thoroughly, and the person to the right of the dealer should cut the deck. Deal 6 cards to every player, dealing the cards 3 at a time in a clockwise manner. After the first round of 3 cards each, 2 cards are placed in the middle of the table. These cards are called the blind The remaining cards are then dealt, 3 at a time. The person to the left of the dealer becomes the dealer in the next round.

Card Rankings One of the most difficult parts of Sheepshead for new players to understand is the ranking of the cards. The order of power of the cards is a very important part of the game. Adding to the confusion is the fact that point values for the cards do not always coincide with the power rankings. Instead of the usual, twos-through-aces ranking, the 14 Sheepshead trump cards rank as follows:

The 18 fail cards rank as follows:

Fail cards rank in power by type only, suit does not play a part in fail card rankings.

Point Value of Cards There is a total of 120 points in the Sheepshead Deck. In order to get 61 points (if you are the picker/partner the opposing team needs 60 or greater) and win the game, you must collect a

combination of the following cards and the points associated with each. Every suit of the following cards is worth the same, even trump suits.

Things to Remember Note that any trump card will take any fail card. Also note that Tens take Kings. With these basic rules, you are ready to start playing the game.

Basic PlayThe Picker After dealing the cards, the person to the left of the dealer has the first chance to pick the blind. If you think that you have a good enough hand (basically a bunch of trump) to win, pick up the blind and put it in your hand. If you don't have much trump, you can pass, and the next person to the left has the option to pick, and so on, until the dealer has had a chance to pick. If no one picks, the hand becomes a leaster, or depending how you play, a doubler. After picking up the blind, the picker must discard two cards, face down in front of him. The picker then picks a partner.

Picking a Partner Unless the picker has a very good hand (almost all high trump) he should pick a partner. (see going alone) This is done by naming an ace card from which he has a fail card of. For example, if the picker has all trump except an 8 of hearts, he must call the Ace of Hearts as partner. If he had the 8 of hearts, the 7 of clubs, and the King of spades, he could call any of the three non-trump Aces as partner, as long as the Ace was not in his hand or his blind. So if the picker calls "Ace of hearts" the person with the Ace of hearts becomes his partner. The remaining three players are now on one team, opposing the picker and his partner. No one, except the partner, knows who the partner is at the beginning of the hand, and he cannot tell anyone. The picker must keep his fail card matching the suit of his partner's Ace until the suit is led, then the picker must play the fail card. The fail card cannot be played in any other trick except the last one, when you have to play your last card.

If all of the picker's fail cards are aces, he cannot call the suit of any ace he has in his blind. He must place any one of his cards face down (called in the hole or under as in) and call any fail Ace he doesn't have in his hand or blind. The card in the hole must be played when the suit of the called Ace is led, as if

the card was the failed suit called. Only the person who wins the trick is allowed to see the card in the hole, and this card cannot take the trick despite its ranking.

If the picker has all three non-trump Aces, a 10 of a fail suit can be called. The same rules apply as if the picker called an Ace. Remember: the Ace and 10 of diamonds can never be called because they are trump. Going AloneIf the picker feels his/her hand is strong enough to win (61 points) by his/herself they can announce "going alone". The hand is played the same way but now the picker is playing against everyone.

Variation: Sheepshead is also played that the Jack of Diamonds is automatically the partner.

The Lead The person directly to the dealer's left leads, that is, plays the first card. The other players must follow suit in a clockwise manner. The player who wins the trick always leads the next trick.

Following Suit A very important rule to remember is that you must always follow suit. Trump is a suit. On trump cards, the card's suit doesn't matter: The Queen of spades is a trump, not a spade. Only trump cards can beat the suit that is led. A nine of hearts will not beat a 7 of clubs if clubs was led. Only a higher club or a trump will take the trick away from the 7 of clubs. If a spade is led, you must play a spade if you have it, and so must everyone else. If you don't have a spade, then you can trump the trick or play any card in your hand, but no other card but a trump will win. You may wish to give points away if your partner is going to win. If a trump card is led, then everyone must play a trump on that trick. Remember, the Ace must be played when the called Ace suit is led, even if you have other cards of the same suit in your hand. The person with the highest ranking card at the end of a trick, wins that trick and collects the points. The game is over when 6 tricks are played. The winner is determined by counting points.

Scoring Sheepshead

1. The picker and the partner win the game if they can collect 61 points from the 6 tricks played. The picker would then get 2 points for the win and the partner would get 1. The other players would all lose 1 point from their score.

2. If the picking team gets 60 points or less, which also leaves 60 points or more for the opposition, the opposition wins. The picker would lose 2 points and the partner would lose 1, while the 3 other players would all receive 1 point each. (It is more common and accepted at almost all tournaments to play "double on the bump" meaning the stakes double if the picking team loses. By doubling the stakes it discourages frivolous picking. The picker loses 4 and the pickers partner loses 2)

3. If the picking team wins and the opposition fails to get 30 points, the picking team schneiders the opposition and wins double the points they would have. The opposition would then lose 2 points each.

4. If the picking team does not get 31 points in a game, the opposition schneiders them, and each player on the opposing team gets 2 points. The picker loses 4 points and the partner loses 2.

(once again double on the bump applies here as well, if the picking team fails to make 31 points the stakes double. The picker loses a total of 8 and the partner loses 4)

5. If the picking team takes all the tricks, which would give them 120 points in that game, they no-trick the opposition and get three times the usual amount. Picker gets 6 points, partner gets 3 points, and each player on the opposition loses 3 points.

6. If the opposition gets all the tricks, even if they don't get all 120 points, the picker loses 9 points and each of the opposition players receive 3 points. The partner is not penalized in this case.

When scoring, remember that the total score from all player, including negatives, must always equal 0.

GolfIntroduction

Golf is a card game for two or more players, in which the object is to score as little as possible, as in the sport of Golf. In front of each player is a layout of cards arranged in a square or rectangle, and players improve their scores by drawing new cards to replace unwanted cards, which they discard. Each deal is seen as the equivalent of a hole of Golf, and in many versions a complete game consists of 9 or 18 deals, corresponding to the length of a Golf course.

Although the card game Golf is quite widespread in North America, Britain, and perhaps other English speaking countries, it is seldom found in card game books. Golf is also sometimes known as Polish Polka or Polish Poker; the 4-card game is known by some players as Turtle, the 6-card game as Hara Kiri, and the 9-card game as Crazy Nines. The game of Golf described on this page has no connection with the Solitaire (Patience) game of the same name.

Each player has a layout of cards, initially face down, which can be successively replaced by new cards drawn from the stock or discard pile. The aim is to make a layout scoring as little as possible. The scores at the end of the play are sometimes considered as representing the number of strokes taken to play a hole of golf. It is common to play a series of nine deals or 'holes', at the end of which the player with the lowest total score wins.

There are two main forms of the game, which I shall call 4-card Golf and 6-card Golf, according to the number of cards in each player's layout. There are also 8-card, 9-card and 10-card forms of Golf, but these seem to be less widespread.

A major difference between versions of Golf is in the method of ending the play.

The first method, used most often in 4-card Golf, is that if you think you have the lowest score you can use your turn to knock instead of drawing to replace one of your cards. This causes the play to end after each of the other players has taken one more turn.

The second method, most often used with the 6-card and larger layouts, is that whenever a layout card is replaced, the new card is placed face up. The play ends as soon as any player's entire layout is face up.

Four-Card Golf

Players, Cards and Deal

A standard 52-card pack is used, and the number of players could in theory be from two to around eight or more, though the game is said to be best for about four. With a large number of players, say eight or more, two packs may be shuffled together. The deal and play are clockwise.

The dealer deals four cards to each player, one at a time. Each player's cards are to be arranged face down in a square. The remaining undealt cards are placed face-down in the centre of the table to form a drawing stock. The top card of the stock is turned face up and placed beside the stock to start the

discard pile. Before play begins, each player may look once at the two nearest cards of his or her square layout, without showing them to anyone else. After this, the layout cards may not be looked at again until they are discarded during play or scored at the end of the play.

The Play

The player to the dealer's left begins, and the turn to play passes clockwise. At your turn you must either draw the top card of the face-down stock, or draw the top discard, or knock to cause the play to end.

If you draw a card, you may use it to replace one of the four cards of your layout, but you are not allowed to look at any of your layout cards before deciding which to replace. You place the drawn card face-down in your layout, being careful to remember what it is, and discard the card that previously occupied that position, putting it face-up on top of the discard pile. It is then the next player's turn.

If you draw a card from the stock and decide that you do not want to use it in your layout, you may simply discard the drawn card face up on the discard pile, and it is then the next player's turn. However, if you choose to take the discard, you must use it to replace one of your layout cards - you cannot simply put it back on the discard pile, leaving the situation as it was.

If you knock, you do nothing else in your turn. Each of the other players in order has one more normal turn (in which they draw a card from the stock or discard pile but cannot knock) and then the play ends.

Note that if you look at any face down card in your layout, that card must be discarded replaced with the card you drew. There is no way to check the value of a face down card and leave it in place.

Scoring

At the end of the play, each player's square of four cards is turned face-up and scored as follows.

Each numeral card scores face value (Ace=1, Two=2, etc.) Each Jack or Queen scores 10 points. Each King scores zero points.

The player who has the lowest cumulative score after nine deals wins.

Variations of Four-Card Golf

Looking at cards

Some play that you may choose any two of your cards to look at before play begins - not necessarily the two cards nearest to you. Some play that you may only look at one of your four cards at the start.

Some play that you may look at any of your four cards during the play, at a cost of 1 point for each occasion when you look at a card, added to your score at the end of the hand.

Some play that you may look at the two cards you saw at the beginning, or their replacements in your layout, as often as you like during the game. Some play that you hold these two cards in your hand, so

that you (but not the other players) can see them at any time. Some even play that you hold all four cards in your hand, so eliminating both the need to remember any cards, and removing the uncertainty about your two unseen cards.

Replacing cards

Some play that the two cards that you did not look at to begin with can be replaced only once. The two cards that you see at the start can be replaced as often as you wish.

Turning cards face up; ending the play

This variation is characteristic of Golf with six or more cards, but is sometimes played in four-card Golf. Whenever a card is replaced, the new card is placed face up in the layout. When all the cards belonging to one player are face up, the play will end after each of the other players has had one more turn.

Some play that all four cards begin face down and a card that is face up cannot be replaced. If you replace a face down card, the replacement card is placed face up. If you draw a card from the stock and discard it, you must turn one of the cards of your layout face up, and this card cannot subsequently be replaced. The result is that on every turn, one more card of your layout is exposed. The game ends when all players have exposed all of their cards.

Alternative methods of scoring the cards

Some play that if your layout contains a pair of equal cards (such as two nines), the score for that pair of cards is zero. If there are three equal cards, only two of them are cancelled in this way; if all four cards are equal the whole layout scores zero. Some play that pairs score zero only if the cards are together in a row or column; equal cards that are in diagonally opposite corners do not cancel.

In some variations, queens are given a higher score of 12, 13 or even 20 points instead of 10; in one variation the spade queen scores 40 points while the others score 10; in this same variation eights score zero.

Some play that one-eyed jacks are wild - they can be paired with any card, making the pair score zero.

Some play that jacks score zero, like kings. Others play that jacks score zero, queens 12 and kings 13.

Some play that jacks score 20 points, and that when a jack is discarded the next player misses a turn - the turn to play skips to the following player.

Some add two jokers to the deck; the score for a joker is minus 5, so the total score for a layout can be negative.

Special score for the knocker

Some play that a player who knocks but turns out not to have the lowest score is penalised. There are several alternative versions of this, played by different groups:

The knocker adds a penalty of 10 points. The knocker's score for the hand is doubled and 5 points added. The knocker takes a score equal to the highest scoring player for that hand.

If the knocker's score is lowest, some players give the knocker the benefit of a reduced score.

Some play that the knocker scores zero if lowest. According to others the knocker's score is reduced by the number of players if lowest and

doubled otherwise - for example in a four-player game a player knocks with 3 points, and scores -1 point (3 - 4) if this is lowest, but 6 points (2 x 3) otherwise.

Some play with a pot to which all contribute equally at the start. The knocker collects this pot if his score is lowest and doubles it otherwise. To prevent such payments becoming too large, it may be wise to agree a maximum amount that can be won from or paid to the pot.

End of the game

If you want a longer game you can play 18 holes (deals) instead of 9.

Egyptian RummyEgyptian Rummy, Slap, Snot, or War is a game of quick wits and luck. The object of the game is to take as many of the cards as possible. This is great to play if you and some friends are bored, or if you want to show off something new. Follow the steps outlined here to learn how to play Egyptian Rummy!

Steps1

Take a regular deck of playing cards (minus the jokers) and shuffle thoroughly. Pass out the entire deck to the players, face down. Distribute evenly so everyone has the same amount. Players hold their cards facedown and are not allowed to look at them.

Begin the game. The person left of the dealer goes first by pulling the top card off his/her pile and placing it face-up in the middle. You are not allowed to see your card until it is placed in the middle.

If the card played has a number on it, the person two spaces to the left of the dealer puts down a card, too. This continues around the table until somebody puts down a letter card (J, Q, K, or A).

When a letter card is played, the next person in the sequence must play another letter card in order for play to continue. The number of chances they have to play a letter card is determined by the initial letter; you can play up to 4 cards if an ace has been played, 3 for a king, 2 for a queen, and just 1 for a jack.

o If the next person in the sequence does not play a letter card within their allotted chances, the person who played the last letter card wins the round and the whole pile goes to them. Subsequently, the next round begins with this winning person.

o Remember, nobody can look at their cards before they're played, so the odds are completely random!5

The only thing that overrides the letter card rule is the slap rule. The first person to slap the pile of cards when the slap rule is put into effect is the winner of that round. If it cannot be determined who was the first to slap the pile, the person with the most fingers on top wins. If the tie cannot be resolved this way, play continues normally.

Players should abide by the slap rule in the following situations:

o Double: when two cards of equivalent value are laid down consecutively. Ex: 5, 5o Sandwich: when two cards of equivalent value are laid down consecutively, but with one card of

different value between them. Ex: 5, 7, 5o Top bottom (or bottoms up): when the same card as the first card of the set is laid down.

However, this rule is nullified if a card is burned as a penalty (see below).

o Tens: when two cards played consecutively (or with a letter card in between) add up to 10. For this rule, an ace counts as one. Ex: 3, 7 or A, K, 9 (sandwich)

o Jokers: when jokers are used in the game, which should be determined before gameplay begins. Anytime someone lays down a joker, the pile can be slapped.

o Four in a row: when four cards with values in consistent ascending or descending order is placed. Ex: 5, 6, 7, 8 or Q, K, A, 2

o Marriage: when a Queen is placed over or under a King (this is considered an optional rule). Ex: Q, K or K,Q

You must add one or two cards to the bottom of the pile if you slap the pile and it was not slappable. This is called "burning cards" and voids the top bottom slap, since it changes the first card in the set.

o If you have no cards and you slap at the wrong time, then you are out of the game for good (unless you are playing by modified rules, such as allowing players to lend cards to each other).8

Continue playing even if you have run out of cards. So long as you don't slap at the wrong time, you are still allowed to "slap in" and get cards! Everyone should try to stay in the game until you have a single winner who obtains all the cards.

SpoonsSpoons is a group card game, better played in larger groups than smaller groups. A larger group will result in a longer game, as it is an elimination game. The object of the game is to be the first player to get four of a kind. For groups of more than six people, two decks of cards may need to be used. It is a fast-paced group game that can be a lot of fun, though players need to be mindful of where others are, as the object of the game could result in players colliding with each other.

1. Setting Upo To play the game, you will need one or two decks of cards (minus jokers) and several spoons.

You should have one less spoon than there are players, just like how in musical chairs you need one less chair than the number of players. Players sit in a circle and the spoons go into the middle within even reach of all players. The spoons can be either in a pile or carefully arranged, depending on what the players want.

Gameplay

o One player is chosen as the first dealer. This player shuffles the cards and deals four face down to each player. The rest of the deck is placed face down in front of the dealer. Each player looks at her hand, keeping it from the view of the other players. The dealer draws a card and looks to see if it makes the set of four that he is trying to get. If it does match, he puts that card in his hand and chooses a different card to discard. If it does not match, he discards it. He puts his discarded card in front of the player to his left, who then looks at it to see if it matches her set. Gameplay continues in this way until a player has a full four of a kind.

Once a player has a four of kind, she takes a spoon from the pile. Any players that see her grab for a spoon have to grab one of their own. The player left without a spoon is eliminated. One spoon is removed from the pile and the next round is started, with the dealer being the player on the last round's dealer's left.

Spoon Grabbing Strategies

o There are two basic strategies for grabbing spoons: obviously and stealthily. Each method will cause a different result. Obviously grabbing the spoon could either be lunging into the pile, or simply reaching for one, making sure everyone sees you. This ensures that everyone will know you have one, and will immediately grab for their own. This method creates a bit more chaos immediately, as everyone is going for spoons at the same time.

Stealthily getting a spoon can be more entertaining for the first person to get the spoon. This is easiest done if the spoons have been piled so that one is within close reach of the original grabber. The person goes for a spoon very carefully, trying to keep everyone else from realizing they have taken one. This causes a more delayed reaction, and can make the final grab more entertaining, as the last players to realize are more desperate, because there are fewer spoons from which to choose.