Needle in a Card Stack

Needle in a Card Stack

Players: 2

Resources: 

-Standard 52 deck of cards

-A piece of paper, pencil, or phone is recommended to help players keep track of points and be accountable for their target cards.

Overview:

Needle in the Card Stack is a fast-paced, two-player card game in which players compete to find a specific target card while forming sets to earn points.

Goal/Objective: Players search for their desired card while gaining points by making sets of three based on rank and any suit. For example, “1,2,3,” “6,7,8,” and “10, Jack, and Queen” are all sets, just like the image below.

Setup: Players start with seven cards in their hands. A draw pile and a discard pile are on the table between the players.

How to play:

• 1. Target cards:
  1. At the start of the game, both players think of a single card they want to look for in the deck, their “needle,” as you will. Keep your card secret, as you don’t want the other player to know what you want!
• 2. Discard pile:
  1. If the draw pile is depleted, keep the top card to start the next discard and shuffle the rest to make a new draw pile.
• 3. How to take a turn:
  • At the beginning of a turn, a player can draw randomly from the draw pile or the opposing player’s hand. (However, this move can only be done once every three turns)
  • During a turn, the player can make however many sets of three they want if the cards are consecutive in rank. (matching suits are not required to make a set)
    • If a set is created, it is placed face-up on the table.
  • Players place one card in the discard pile at the end of a turn, and their turn ends.
    • However, if a makes one or more sets during their turn, they replenish their cards from the draw pile by the amount spent making their set.
• However, if a makes one or more sets during their turn, they replenish their cards from the draw pile by the amount spent making their set.
• Players place one card in the discard pile at the end of a turn, and their turn ends.
  • However, if a makes one or more sets during their turn, they replenish their cards from the draw pile by the amount spent making their set.
• During a turn, the player can make however many sets of three they want if the cards are consecutive in rank. (matching suits are not required to make a set)
  • If a set is created, it is placed face-up on the table.
  • Players place one card in the discard pile at the end of a turn, and their turn ends.
    • However, if a makes one or more sets during their turn, they replenish their cards from the draw pile by the amount spent making their set.
• 4. Scoring:
  • A set of three consecutive cards of any suit earns 1 point.
  • A set of three consecutive cards in the same suit or being face cards earns 2 points.
• 5. Ending the game:
  • The round ends when one of the players finds or reveals their target card.
    • If a player’s target card is discarded or included in an opponent’s set, it must be announced, and the round ends.
  • After the round ends, the player with the most points wins!

 

Aiden Kimmer – Game Designer

Professor Akram – Instruction Template provider