Castles (Working Title)
This is a simple card game that you can play with a friend. The goal is simple, make your opponent unable to play a card, or run out of cards first.
Here is a sample layout of the game
What you'll need to play:
Two decks of standard playing cards with the Jacks, Queens, and Kings removed
Set Up
Each player shuffles and draws 8 cards from their respective decks. Next, both players choose 3 cards from their hand and play them
face down in front of them. These cards will be the player's save cards.
Save cards, allow the player to continue playing after they are unable to play a card from their hand. If they run out of saves and cannot
play a card their opponent wins the game.
Play
Player's decide who will go first and that player flips the top card of their deck. If this card is a Queen, bury the card in the deck and flip
the top card of the deck
Players then alternate playing card(s) from their hand that are equal or higher than the card played by their opponent.
A's are the lowest card, while 10s are the highest
A's trump 10s allowing the cycle from lowest to highest to repeat
Jokers are wilds and can be played on any card, the player then gets another turn and can play any card they want from
their hand
Players can play multiple cards with the same number value when playing cards from their hand
Players cannot play multiple cards with different values, each card must be the same value
Players do not have to go in sequential order, they may play any card from their hand as long as it is of equal or higher value
than the card(s) played by their opponent.
When a player finishes their turn, they must draw back to 5 cards unless they have no cards remaining in their deck
If a player cannot play a card on their turn and they have at least one save remaining, they must discard their hand and draw 5 new
cards from their deck. Then the player chooses which of their remaining saves to play.
If the player cannot draw 5 cards from their deck, they must discard up to the number of cards remaining in the deck and
draw the remainder of their deck.
Winning
A player wins when:
Their opponent has no save cards remaining and cannot play a card from their hand
They have run out of cards in their deck and hand.
Estimated time of play
New players - approx. 10 mins
Intermediate players - approx. 5 min
Expert players - approx. 2 min (Trust me, we've timed it)
Variations
Don't like the normal rules or want to make the game more exciting? Here are a few things you can do to make the game quicker, more strategic, or wilder.
Here is a sample layout of the game
What you'll need to play:
Two decks of standard playing cards with the Jacks, Queens, and Kings removed
Set Up
Each player shuffles and draws 8 cards from their respective decks. Next, both players choose 3 cards from their hand and play them
face down in front of them. These cards will be the player's save cards.
Save cards, allow the player to continue playing after they are unable to play a card from their hand. If they run out of saves and cannot
play a card their opponent wins the game.
Play
Player's decide who will go first and that player flips the top card of their deck. If this card is a Queen, bury the card in the deck and flip
the top card of the deck
Players then alternate playing card(s) from their hand that are equal or higher than the card played by their opponent.
A's are the lowest card, while 10s are the highest
A's trump 10s allowing the cycle from lowest to highest to repeat
Jokers are wilds and can be played on any card, the player then gets another turn and can play any card they want from
their hand
Players can play multiple cards with the same number value when playing cards from their hand
Players cannot play multiple cards with different values, each card must be the same value
Players do not have to go in sequential order, they may play any card from their hand as long as it is of equal or higher value
than the card(s) played by their opponent.
When a player finishes their turn, they must draw back to 5 cards unless they have no cards remaining in their deck
If a player cannot play a card on their turn and they have at least one save remaining, they must discard their hand and draw 5 new
cards from their deck. Then the player chooses which of their remaining saves to play.
If the player cannot draw 5 cards from their deck, they must discard up to the number of cards remaining in the deck and
draw the remainder of their deck.
Winning
A player wins when:
Their opponent has no save cards remaining and cannot play a card from their hand
They have run out of cards in their deck and hand.
Estimated time of play
New players - approx. 10 mins
Intermediate players - approx. 5 min
Expert players - approx. 2 min (Trust me, we've timed it)
Variations
Don't like the normal rules or want to make the game more exciting? Here are a few things you can do to make the game quicker, more strategic, or wilder.
- Card Effects - Write down effects a given card your deck can have. These effects can reverse the order cards are played, so instead of A,1,2...10 it's 10,9,8...A. 10 would trump A. Allow only the same suit to be played on this card, but any number is allowed, different trump cards for different values, and so on
- Smaller Deck - Cut the number of cards in the deck by half, 2 of each number card and one joker.
- Increase or decrease the values you can play. Instead of A-10, its A-5 or A-K
After playing a few times, let me know what you think of the game. Even if you didn't like it. This will let me know if the game is awesome or needs improvement.
Also, if you have any feedback on the game let me know. I'm always open to suggestions that may make the game better
Also, if you have any feedback on the game let me know. I'm always open to suggestions that may make the game better
Note!!!
Remember, any original work posted on any website is protected under copyright law, so if you would like to use this idea, or one of it's variations, in your own work, let me know.
