MetaChat - What unusual card games can I learn?

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20 July 2008

What unusual card games can I learn? I know all the old standbys like rummy, poker, Go Fish, and blackjack.

Can anyone suggest interesting, obscure, or unusual card games I could play with up to 3 people?

post by: reenum at: 08:16 | 20 comments

I actually collaborated with a student in designing some games this past spring, mostly paper games, but we did come up with a card game that has some little bit unusual features. Several people came by to playtest and everybody learned it quickly & had a lot of fun playing (there tended to be a lot of post-game, post-mortem discussion like "I was going to... but then you... so I thought..." which I generally take to be a sign of a good game). It's for two people but I have a simple adjustment to make a 3-player version (just we never tested the 3-player version).

Send me an email and I'll send you a copy of the rules. You'll be very cutting-edge.

posted by Wolfdog 20 July | 08:28

Canasta

posted by netbros 20 July | 09:57

Was going to recommend Hand and Foot, which is kind of like Canasta.

posted by rhapsodie 20 July | 10:48

Oh, how could I forget Nerts!? My youth pastor's wife taught this to us while we were in Mexico on a youth trip, and if this wasn't the most addicting game ever. It can be played as individuals or with teams of two.

posted by rhapsodie 20 July | 10:51

Skip Bo is fun

posted by meeshell 20 July | 11:32

Casino is a deceptively simple game that actually requires a little strategy. When I stay at my folks house we play this almost every night.

posted by doctor_negative 20 July | 12:15

Pusoy Dos.

posted by brownpau 20 July | 12:37

Euchre and Skip Bo our are families standbys. When we aren't playing Pass the Pigs (not a card game, but definitely addicting)...

posted by blackkar 20 July | 12:47

um, I obviously meant "are our", not "our are". hmmm, need more coffee.

posted by blackkar 20 July | 12:48

Up to three people, total, or up to three other people? Quite a few card games are optimized for four players.

posted by box 20 July | 13:11

PASS THE PIGS!!!! I love that game! I knew a bar owner that would use them to qualify patrons for free drinks.

Card Games: I've always enjoyed Hearts or Spades. You need more than 2 players for them.

posted by MonkeyButter 20 July | 14:02

I love Pass the Pigs too. Mr g and I played it obsessively for a while, either as a drinking game or not.

Favourite unusual card game: Truco. You need a special deck of cards for it, though. Lots of fun.

posted by gaspode 20 July | 14:05

Whist is a great game for four. It's "on the path" to Bridge, but is shorter, easier and plenty fun.

posted by kodama 20 July | 14:10

I love Spades or Hearts as well.

Big Two is awesome. Our Vietnamese friends taught us years ago and it has since become a game we always go to. It's lots of fun.

posted by LoriFLA 20 July | 15:39

You can play two-handed hearts, MonkeyButter. Strategy and whatnot are pretty much totally different, though. Hell, you can play hearts with anything from two to... well, 52, I suppose (if you wanted an element of strategy/skill, though, it might top out at 26). But the further you get away from four players, the weirder things get.

My favorite card games: Gin/Rummy, Hearts/Spades/Euchre. I am a simple man. Cribbage is pretty good. I keep meaning to take up bridge.

posted by box 20 July | 16:04

I think Hearts plays best with three people because hands often turn cut-throat against one player or another.

posted by Ardiril 20 July | 16:30

My kids always played Egyptian Rat Crap when they were teens-it goes by a slightly different name under that link but that's what they knew it as.

posted by bunnyfire 20 July | 17:31

Practice saying this sentence: 'That guy's trying to shoot the moon (pause) but I don't have the cards to stop him.' Voila--instant cutthroat hearts game.

posted by box 20 July | 17:48

kings in the corner is my favorite card game of all time.

good graphic of the game here.

posted by eatdonuts 20 July | 19:35

reenum, if you decide to take up canasta, let me know. i've been looking for people to play with for forever. seriously.

posted by brina 20 July | 22:10

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