News & Updates:

Like the website?
Recommend Us To a Friend

THE CARD GAME PLAY OR PAY

Number of Players: 3 or more.

The Deal: One card at a time to each player, until all of the deck has been used up. It doesn't matter if some players get more cards than others.

Object: To get rid of all of your cards.

The Play: The player to the left of the dealer may put down any card from his hand. The player to his left must follow with the next highest card in the same suit or must put a counter into the middle of the table. (All players should be given the same number of counters to begin a game.) This process continues, with each player in turn obliged to continue the sequence or pay one counter into the middle of the table.

The cards in their proper sequence are: Ace-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-Jack-Queen-King-Ace-2-3- (etc.).

The player who puts down the 13th card of a suit makes the first play in a new suit.

The play continues until somebody wins by getting rid of all of his cards. Each player then puts one counter in the middle of the table for each card left in his hand. The winner takes all the counters out of the middle of the table.

Skillful Play: There is no skill in following suit; you either have the card or you don't. The only skill is in choosing the right card with which to begin a play.

If you have two cards in sequence in any suit, begin with the higher of these two cards. Eventually you will end that suit by playing the lower card of the sequence. This will give you the right to begin the next suit.

When possible, you try to get rid of your long suits first. If your shortest suit is saved for last, there is a fair chance that you will be the first player to get rid of all of your cards.

Related terms include kings card game and wizard card game.