Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Crazy Gin

Crazy Gin is a fun card game. It can be highly spirited, competitive or downright cutthroat.

Made to be played with three to six players, it is more of a social interaction game with some degree of wit required. There are seven progressive rounds to play. Each round is scored, the winner with the lowest score after the final round wins.

Many thanks to Colleen and the WALBATS for their dedication in perfecting the game with hours of selfless practice! Don't ever play with Colleen or Geoff, you will not win.


Crazy Gin Rules
The object of the game is to get rid of all your cards first. Cards are laid down when you have the sets and or runs required for the round. Then cards may be discarded to other player's card piles. The player with the lowest score wins.
  • Two deck of cards are combined and shuffled. For six or more players use three decks.
  • Dealer deals 11 cards to each player, and the remaining are placed in a stack face down in the middle.
  • Each player starts his turn by picking up a card off the discard pile or the fresh pile.
  • The player ends the round by putting a card on the discard pile. Once a card is on the discard pile, the turn is over - and the player cannot add to his or any other player's sets until their next turn.
  • Two's are always wild. Play them asap, don't keep them in you hand, they are 20 points each.
  • Aces may be either high or low.
  • Player to the dealer's left takes the first card of the fresh card pile. If the player is able to lay down runs and or sets required for that round, he does so. The player then discards one card to end turn.
  • Runs must be four cards of the same suit on order, but two's are wild and can be used as any card.
  • If a run contains a two (ex. club 10, club 9, heart 2, club 7) and you have the club 8, you may lay down the club 8 and the wild two can become a club 6 or club jack, whichever you decide. Wild cards cannot be taken from one set to use on another, they must be played in the original set placed.
  • You cannot discard a card that may be played on your opponents sets or runs, you must hold the card until you set your sets/runs. Twos cannot be discarded.
  • Any player may say "May I?" if a card is discarded that he wants.
  • If the player whose turns it is says yes, the player picks up the card off the discard pile and a penalty card off the fresh pile. The "May I?" player does not discard at this time.
  • If the player whose turn it is says "no" to a "May I?" request, he/she must pick up the card denied to other player.
  • If two or more players "May I?", card goes to first heard (first asked).
  • Only three "May I?" allowed per player, per round
  • You may put down your sets/runs only during your turn, after picking up off the fresh pile. You cannot put down additional sets or runs.
  • A set of three (ex, three 8's) can have three or more.
  • A run of four can have more than four
  • After you have set your sets/runs you may play any additional card/s in your hand onto other player's sets/runs. You may not set onto other players until you have set your own sets/runs.
  • When you have one card left to play announce "one card" to the other players.
  • No "May I?" allowed in final round.
  • The first player to discard all her cards is given a block (or smiley face) on the score pad. Other players count the cards as follows: Two=20 points, Ace=15 points, Face Cards=10 points, all other cards are face value.



ROUNDS
Round One- 2 sets of three
Round Two- 1 set of three, 1 run of four
Round Three- 2 runs of four
Round Four- 3 sets of three
Round Five- 2 sets of three, 1 run of four
Round Six- 1 set of three, 2 runs of four
Round Seven- 3 runs of four

It takes a few rounds to pick up and few more to learn the strategies.

Have fun.