Thieves
Objective:
The objective of Thieves is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards by playing them onto the center pile.
Setup:
- Thieves is played with a standard deck of 52 cards.
- Shuffle the cards thoroughly and deal the entire deck evenly among the players. If there are more cards than players, some players may have an extra card.
- Each player holds their cards face-down in a stack without looking at them.
Card Rankings:
- The ranking of cards in Thieves is as follows, from highest to lowest: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
Gameplay:
- The player to the left of the dealer starts the game by playing any card from their hand face-up onto the center pile.
- The next player must play a card of the same rank or higher onto the center pile. For example, if a 7 is played, the next player must play a 7 or a higher-ranked card.
- If a player cannot play a card of the required rank, they must pick up the entire center pile and add it to their hand. Then, it becomes their turn to play any card they wish.
- Play continues clockwise, with each player trying to play a higher-ranked card onto the center pile.
- Special Cards: Some variations of Thieves include special cards that have specific effects. For example, a Queen may reverse the direction of play or a Jack may skip the next player’s turn. Make sure to establish any special card rules before playing.
Scoring:
- Thieves is typically played without scoring. The objective is simply to be the first player to get rid of all your cards.
Winning:
- The game continues until one player has successfully played all their cards onto the center pile. That player is declared the winner.
Tips:
- Keep track of the cards that have been played and the rank of the last card played to help you make strategic decisions.
- Try to play high-ranking cards early in the game to increase the difficulty for other players.
- Pay attention to the cards played by other players and anticipate the possibility of picking up the center pile.
- Save your lower-ranked cards for situations when you can’t play a higher-ranked card.
- Be aware of any special card rules or variations that may apply to the game you are playing.
Remember, Thieves is a versatile card game, and variations in rules and gameplay may exist. It’s always a good idea to clarify the specific rules with all players before starting the game.