You can teach an old dog new tricks!
ORIGINAL CARD GAMES
by David Parlett
site map Inventing games with ordinary cards is fun but doesn't pay the rent. These games are free, but if you think any of them worthy of recompense and would like to make a donation then clicking on "Thank you!" will enable you to contribute securely through Paypal (whether or not you have a Paypal account). |
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Unsolicited testimonials "Parlett's creativity is as ordered and precise as a Swiss watch. His games mesh so well with the structure of playing-cards as to give the impression that the pack was created specifically for his inventions." |
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"Aside from his extensive research and cataloguing of games, he has invented some good ones, too.
Worthy of mention is Ninety-Nine, a three-handed trick game with an unusual bidding and scoring
system. If you're a card player, check it out." "Jeeves" at Everything.com |
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This [Duck Soup] is a wonderful game and works very well,
and since it can be played with a standard deck of cards there is almost no time it can't be suggested when
two players are ready to go... Parlett didn't stop with Duck Soup; his site also has rules for other good games
in this format including Parity and Cross Purposes. Ben Baldanza, Board Game News |
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Dear Mr Parlett: I am a devoted card player who happens to be a great fan of your website. Some of my favorite games
on your website are Ninety-Nine, Penguin, and Tantony. Spencer Andersen |
Inventing card games is one of my favourite recreations. It's a relaxing
hobby: it means I can think up the basic ideas without having to get out
of bed - or even, if I'm very lucky, without having to wake up -
which is more than you can say for actually playing cards.My idea of a good game is one that uses an ordinary 52-card pack and has
very simple rules, but gives you plenty to think about. If you find that idea
appealing, have a look through the following. I've arranged them in order of number of players,
that being the natural primary selection factor, then by type of game. So start by choosing your number and then
click, as appropriate, on
2
3
4
5 or
6
as the case may be.
If you're looking for a particular game by name, you can use the
alphabetical index at the foot of the page.
1 player.
| Games for 2 players
3
4
4P
5
6
|
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| tricks |
Duck Soup
- A trick-taking game that'll drive you both quackers Parity - a skill-demanding game of perfect information Cross Purposes - one of you chooses a trump suit, the other a trump rank Ninety-Nine - bid to win an exact number of tricks (adapted from 3 players) Counterpoint - A fiendish point-trick version of Ninety-Nine (best for two) Umbridge - A perversion of Bridge for two Colour-blind - choose whether to win red cards or black (adapted from 3 players) |
| hybrid |
Galapagos
- three games in one: win tricks, make melds, get rid of your cards |
| arithmetical |
Dracula
- an arithmetical game with a bloodthirsty count Fosco - a game of perfect information with another villainous count Addenda - aim to win tricks counting 17 points Caterpillar - a simple add-it-up-as-you-go-along game Limbo - get as low under the bar as you can by deducting and dividing Prime Time - make primes from three-card combinations (better for 3) |
| bluffing |
Counterbluff
- bluff with constantly-evolving Poker hands Sneak - a bluffing game playable by any number |
| matching |
Stucco
- a match-and-go-out game of perfect information |
| nim |
Abstrac
- a nim-type game of perfect information |
| rummy |
Brummy
- two-dimensional Rummy with Brag hands Multiplicity - for players who like to go forth and multiply (better for three) |
| tableau |
Get Stuck
- a quasi board game on a grid of 7x7 cards (also for 4 in partnerships) Romeo & Juliet - a romantic card-board game on a grid of 7x7 cards Ganderpoke - a 5x5 tableau game with Poker hands Garbo - a 4x4 tableau game where each card "vants to be alone" Spec - a silly guessing game (or is it ESP?) on a 5x5 grid |
| Games for 3 players
2
4
4P
5
6
| |
| tricks |
Ninety-Nine
- bid to win an exact number of tricks Naughty Nun - as above, but with silly bits Counterpoint - like 99, but bid to win an exact number of card-points Farrago - with a different trumping rule at every deal Triathlon - aim to perform three trick-taking feats Tracktrick - three-in-a-row quasi-board game requires accurate trick-play Gooseberry Fool - divide and rule by winning the middling number of tricks Flunk - it looks rather like three-handed Bridge, but isn't quite... Colour-blind - decide whether to win red cards or black Hamlet - a game with supporting roles for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Who's Who - in which you have to discover who your partner is Welsh Whist - a fun game with lots of Jokers and no cheating (by order) Tantony - win tricks, then give them away! (better for four) Anarchy - play as you please and score how you like (best for 4 or 5) Snark - a wilder version of Anarchy (best for 5) |
| hearts-type |
Minimisère
- if you can't lose every trick, win as many as possible Trigami - decide which suit not to win cards of in tricks |
| gops-type |
Throps
- a three-player variant of Gops Bouncers - a sort of cross between Gops and Hearts |
| tableau | Spec - a silly guessing game (or is it ESP?) on a 5x5 grid |
| rummy |
Brummy
- two-dimensional Rummy with Brag hands Crummy - Rummy with a trick-type method of play (better for four) Multiplicity - for players who like to go forth and multiply |
| arithmetical |
Dracula
- an arithmetical game with a bloodthirsty count Prime Time - make primes from three-card combinations |
| Games for 4 players (solo)
2
3
4P
5
6
| |
| tricks |
Collusion
- hilarious game of (mis)alliances and double-crossings Twyst - more like Solo Whist than anything else... (see also Squint for five) Ninety-Nine - bid to win an exact number of tricks Farrago - with a different trumping rule at every deal Tracktrick - three-in-a-row quasi-board game requires accurate trick-play Welsh Whist - a fun game with lots of Jokers and no cheating (by order) Minimisère - if you can't lose every trick, win as many as possible Tantony - win tricks, then give them away! (better as a partnership game) Chwech - in which you needn't play to a trick if you don't want to (best for 6) Anarchy - play as you please and score how you like Snark - a wilder version of Anarchy (best for 5) |
| hearts-type |
Bugami
- announce in advance which suit you'll take none of in tricks Agony Aunt - avoid taking various penalty cards; requires also counters and a board |
| rummy |
Brummy
- two-dimensional Rummy with Brag hands Crummy - Rummy with a trick-type method of play Rummage - Another Rummy with a trick-type method of play (better for 5) |
| tableau | Spec - a silly guessing game (or is it ESP?) on a 5x5 grid |
| memory |
Memoranda
- which cards were you originally dealt? |
| Games for 4 players (partnership)
2
3
4
5
6
| |
| tricks |
Tantony
- in which you win tricks but may give them away Seconds - in which only the second-best card wins the trick Plonk - a deceptively simple-looking game Cross Purposes - in which one side chooses a trump suit, the other a trump rank Flashpoint - in which you win tricks and make melds from them |
| arithmetical |
Dracula
- an adding-up game with a bloodthirsty count Addenda - aim to win tricks counting 17 points |
| tableau | Get Stuck - a quasi board game on a grid of 7x7 cards (also for two) |
| unclassifiable |
Concerto
- game of skill in which you and your partner construct Poker hands |
| Games for 5 players
2
3
4
4P
6
| |
| tricks |
Squint
- a sort of Solo Whist for five
(see also Twyst for four) Anarchy - play as you please and score how you like Snark - a wilder version of Anarchy Chwech - in which you needn't play to a trick if you don't want to (best for 6) Welsh Whist - a fun game with lots of Jokers and no cheating (by order) Minimisère - if you can't lose every trick, win as many as possible Farrago - with a different trumping rule at every deal |
| hearts-type |
Bugami
- announce in advance which suit you'll take none of in tricks |
| bluffing | Sneak
- bluffing game |
| memory | Memoranda
- memory game |
| rummy | Rummage
- Rummy with a trick-type method of play Brummy - two-dimensional Rummy with Brag hands Crummy - Rummy with a trick-type method of play (better for four) |
| memory |
Memoranda
- which cards were you originally dealt? |
| Games for 6 players
2
3
4
4P
5
| |
| tricks |
Chwech
- in which you needn't play to a trick if you don't want to Minimisère - if you can't lose every trick, win as many as possible Snark - a wilder version of Anarchy (also for 4-7 players) |
| hearts type | Bugami - announce in advance which suit you'll take none of in tricks |
| rummy |
Rummage
- Rummy with a trick-type method of play Brummy - two-dimensional Rummy with Brag hands |
| bluffing |
Sneak - bluffing game |
| memory |
Memoranda
- which cards were you originally dealt? |
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May 2013
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