Play Casino, a Card Game That Takes Strategy
Rules and Instructions for a Fun Singles or Partners Card Game
Casino is unique in that the cards can be evenly dealt for two, three, or four players. When four people play, they usually compete in teams of two and sit opposite their partner. The game is played with a standard 52-card deck. Each number card (ace through 10) is played according to the numerical value on the card.
Dealing The Cards
To start the game, the dealer deals four cards face down to each player and four face up in the middle. Traditionally, the cards are dealt two at a time. The dealer saves the undealt cards to deal the next hand.
Once everyone has played their four cards, a new hand begins with the dealer giving everyone four more from the undealt pile, but not adding any more to the middle. This is repeated until all the cards have been dealt. The dealer must announce, “Last,” as he deals the deck’s final round. This is to alert players that the end of the round is approaching. There is an incentive to capture the last card of the round that will be explained later.
Playing the Cards
Starting with the player to the dealer’s left, everyone takes turns playing a card with the goal of either capturing one of the cards in the middle or making a build on one of the cards in the middle to capture later. If neither of these goals will work, a player can trail a card by simply laying it face up in the middle.
To capture a card, or group of cards, a player must show a card from his hand which matches or is equal to the sum of several of the cards face up in the middle. For example, a 5 could capture another 5 as well as a 2 and 3. Face cards can only capture a matching face card and only one at a time. Once a card has been captured, the player places the card he played and any captured cards face down in his own pile to be scored at the end of the round.
To make a build, a player must play a number card from his hand on another number card and announce what he is building. For example, if he lays a 3 on a 4, he announces, “building 7s.” On that same turn, the player can add any sets of cards from the middle equaling the capture number to his build. The player must have a card in his hand which can take the build he announced. Once a build is started, the cards that make it up can only be captured as a unit.
If a player starts a build, he must either capture it or put another card from his hand onto it during his next turn. If continuing to build, the player must use one card from his hand, or a card from his hand in combination with others in the middle that add up to the build’s capture number. In capturing a build, a player may also take any sets of cards in the middle that equal the capture number of the build.
On their turn, other players have the option of capturing the build if they hold that number card in their hand. They may also add to the build provided it is only a single build, meaning that it only has one set of cards equaling the capture number. Just like starting a build, if a player adds to a build, he must hold a number card able to capture the build in his hand. For example, the player could lay a 3 on a build of 7s consisting of a 3 and a 4. He would then announce, “Building 10s.” On the same turn, he can also add any sets of cards from the middle to the build equaling the new build number. A multiple build, or a build that has more than one set of cards equaling the capture number, cannot be added to. For example, a build of 7s consisting of two 7s, a 5, and a 2 is a multiple build and must be captured with a 7.
Once the last card of the deck has been played, the player who made the final capture of the round gets to claim any remaining cards face up in the middle.
Scoring
To score, everyone counts the points earned in the pile they captured. There are 11 points possible.
Players award 3 points to the one with the most cards, 1 point for the most aces, 1 point for each ace, 2 points for the 10 of diamonds or Big Casino, and 1 point for the 2 of spades or Little Casino. (Ties for most cards or most spades are not awarded any points.)
Many players award one point to someone who clears all the cards from the middle during the game. This is called a sweep. The next player has no option but to trail a card.
After tallying the score, players switch dealers and play however many rounds it takes until someone reaches 21 points.
Casino is a card game that’s been played for more than a century. Card players unfamiliar with it might just want to see what they’ve been missing.
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