It's a card game. Card games being what they are, this one probably has about twelve different names, so if this has been noded elsewhere, sue me.
(KissThis /msged, saying this game is also known as Cuckoo, Chase the Ace, and Ranter Go Round.)
Equipment
- One deck of cards, no jokers, jesters, or piranha.
- Lots of other people to play with. The more the better. This ain't no solitaire.
- Counters, or tokens, to keep track--pennies work fine. Eight for each player.
Rules, Order of Play, &c.
- The pennies are to keep track of how many rounds you've lost. Lay them all out in front of you, and get rid of one each time you lose. Lose them all and you're out and can't play any longer.
- The purpose of each round is to not have the lowest card. The order, from lowest to highest, is a pretty straightforward A 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K. Suit doesn't matter.
- The dealer shuffles, then deals to the left. Each player gets one card. The player to the left of the dealer goes first, and play travels to the left.
- Look at your card! You'll want to know what it is.
- If it's a king, turn it over. You're lucky--you can't get screwed.
- If it's not a king, you have two options: Keep your card, or trade with the next player. Remember, you don't want to be stuck with the low card, so if it's pretty low, pass it.
- If the next player has a king turned over, you can't trade. Sorry, tough luck. (The person on the other side of the king goes next.)
- When it's the dealer's turn, they have a different option. They can either stay with the card they have, or pull the card from the top of the deck.
- After the dealer's turn, everyone turns over their cards. Whoever has the lowest card loses. If two people have the same low card, they both lose.
- In the next round, the player to the left of the dealer deals.
- Whoever survives the longest wins.
Notes
- If you trade with someone and get a lower card, you just got screwed. The person you traded with--if they have any brain at all--will keep the card and not pass. They know they haven't got the lowest card. (In fact, this is a red flag, and anybody after you who's paying attention will probably not pass either.)
- For heaven's sake, if you get an ace, pass it! True story, I've known people who stood on aces. Ook.
Sample Round
Players:
R L
P M
O N
L deals.
R8 L6
PA M3
OK N2
O sees his king, gives a defiant cry of triumph, and turns it over.
M's turn. M thinks hard, because a three can be dangerous. He trades, and gets N's 2. Poor guy.
R8 L6
PA M2
OK N3
N doesn't get an option, because O has a king.
O doesn't get an option either, but he doesn't need one.
P's turn. There's no way P's going to be stuck with an ace, so P passes, and gets R's 8. Whoohoo.
RA L6
P8 M2
OK N3
R's turn. R scowls at P, and passes. R gets L's 6.
R6 LA
P8 M2
OK N3
L's turn. Since he dealt, there's nobody left to pass to. He isn't going to be stuck with an ace though. He turns over the top card on the deck--and gets a two.
Everyone turns over their cards.
R6 LA2
P8 M2
OK N3
Since both L and M have the low card this round (a two), they both lose a penny. Aww. M deals the next round.
Yeh?