There were many things we could have done with these cards, but of course we chose DUCK!.
"Ooh! Some cards!" Mark says as he rushes over to the table. You check your watch. Yeah, you've got time. "Wanna play?" You ask.
"Sure! What are you thinking?"
"You pick."
"DUCK!" He says happily.
Not your favorite game, but you choose not to argue. You need something to kill the time.
As you sit down you quickly scan the instructions, just to remind yourself of the rules.
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Set up: Shuffle the deck of cards and deal each player 7 cards. Place the deck face down in the middle of the play area. Make sure each player has room for a discard pile. Gameplay: The players take turns, going in a clockwise direction around the table. During a player’s turn, if they have two cards with matching values, they take those cards and place them down. During each turn, player A asks player B if they have a card of a certain value. If player B does, they hand player A the card with that value and player A places down the pair. If player B doesn’t have any cards of a matching value, they shout “DUCK!” and player A is forced to draw a card from the deck. It is now the next player’s turn and the process repeats. When it’s a player’s turn they can choose to discard a card from their hand, but only one. When the card is discarded, they place it in a separate pile and draw a new card from the deck. Their turn has now ended. Determining Card Values: Each card receives its value based on its suit using certain rules which alter the initial value of the card (Ace = 1; King = 13). These rules are determined by you, the players of the game. We've provided some space here for you to write out what your rules are: Hearts: This one is easy. A 10 year old could get this. Clubs: We got even with this one. Similar to hearts, but the lucky clovers helped us out. Diamonds: I would recommend checking your discard pile once in a while. Spades: This one is a bit odd...and backwards. Winning: The game ends when either a player cannot draw a card anymore, or a player has placed all cards in their hand, whichever is first. Whoever has the most pairs at the end of the game is the winner. If there is a tie, we don’t care what you do for a tie breaker, just be safe and reasonable. Oh! One last thing, have fun! It is a game after all. |
You realize the cards are dealt and examine your hand. Mark has already placed down a pair of 11s. Lucky.
You're up first. You ask for a 6 and with a look of disappointment Mark hands you a card and you place your pair down. The cards might be on your side today.
Mark discards something, and draws something else.
You choose to do the same, getting rid of an 8.
Mark tries to ask you for an 11, but you don't have one. "DUCK!" You shout, slightly startling him. He draws a card.
Back to you. Maybe he has a 3?
"DUCK!"
...you draw a card.
The back and forth continues, Mark asked for a 14, you asked for an 8 (again), both failures. Both loud and already annoying DUCK!s.
Mark adds a card to his discard pile, drawing another. You keep trying to ask him for a card. A 5 this time, but you hear the dreadful "DUCK!" and your hand of cards grows bigger.
Mark tries stealing a 9 this time..."DUCK!".
You decide to discard something else, and draw a 13 in its place.
Finally something different happens, but unfortunately, not for you. Mark asks you for an 8, which you have. He places down his next pair.
You carefully examine your cards and see a 20. It's a worthless card, so you move it into your discarded pile, drawing a better card from the deck.
Mark asks for an 11. The "DUCK!" arrives and a card is drawn.
Your luck comes back when you ask for a 12, which Mark had, and you took.
Mark asks for a 17, which you don't have, and you ask for a 16, which he doesn't have. You both gain one card.
Well, Mark tries again, asking for a 7 instead. You do have one of those, so you hand it over. Another pair for Mark.
You discard a 14 and draw a new card.
Mark asks for another card you didn't have. You do the same to him. Once again, you two draw a card.
He discards another card.
The little luck you have left seems to drop even more as you ask him for a 16. He shouts "DUCK!" and you draw from the deck.
Mark looks at his hand with an intense stare...for almost too long. The silence is interrupted with, "Got any 3s?"
"Wow. Okay." You hand him the 3 you've been holding on to.
"Okay, okay." You say. "Got any 5s?"
"DUCK!"
"Argh!" You take a deep breath and the game continues.
Mark's turn. He asks for a 13.
This is fine.
You give him your card and ask him for a 14.
"DUCK!"
Okay then.
Mark asks you for a card which thankfully you don't have.
Time to change things up. You trade a card, placing it in the discard pile and drawing another.
Mark asks you for a card and you give him the DUCK!.
You ask for a 7 and he gives you...a card! A pair scored! Although, Mark asks you for a 11...a pair scored.
You discard your 9. It hasn't really helped. Another card takes its place.
Mark asks you for a 4.
"DUCK!"
You check your hand and remember Mark asking for a 13. You check your discard pile...yes!
"Got any 13s?"
"Yup..."
Mark asks for yet another card, but ends up drawing one from the deck instead.
You ask him for any 14s and score another pair.
He asks for a 15, but you shout "DUCK!"
Then you ask for a 1, and he returns the favor...with another "DUCK!".
When you draw the card, you see Mark swiftly place a card in his discard pile, but you didn't notice the card you drew made a pair.
Suddenly your phone rings. “We have to go.” You tell Mark.
“Is it because I’m winning?” He jokes.
“No. It’s a bomb!”
“Really!? But it’s Saturday? I’m not on duty right now.”
“Well...they said they needed us, so let’s go.”
Unfortunately, you two couldn’t finish the game. Although, as a puzzler, you see the words spelled, which is kinda funny when you think of how slim the chance of that happening is.
