Post by Gilvan Blight on Oct 9, 2007 15:56:12 GMT -5
Owned this for years, but recently gave it a ton of use, so figured I would write up a quick review.
Quickly: A great card game for nearly any number of players.
[glow=blue,2,300]Summary:[/glow]
This was the game that made Richard Garfield semi famous before he made Magic the Gathering and became very famous. This is a simple to learn card game that is really an expansion on the standard 52 card deck game President (sometimes called something a little less pleasant).
The deck in this game consists of two jokers and a set of numbered cards. The numbered cards range from 1 to 12, and there are an number of cards of each type equal to its number. So there are 8 eights, 3 threes, 12 twelves, etc. The Jokers are mirror cards, meaning they mirror the card they are played with. So if a joker was played with a three, it counts as a three. If ever played alone they are worth 13.
Players take turns playing sets of cards. These sets all have to have the same number (or include a joker). The next player then has to play the same number of cards of a lower denomination or pass. Play proceeds around the table until everyone has passed. Then the person that played the lowest set gets the lead and begins a new round. So for example one player could lead 3 twelves, then the next player could play 3 sixes, then 3 fours, then the last plays 3 threes and a joker, making it 4 threes winning the round. Play proceeds until the players are out of cards. As players run out of cards they remember what order they went out in. Once everyone is out of cards this determines the 'rank' of the player for the next round.
The first player out becomes The Great Dalmuti. The second becomes the Lesser Dalmuti. The next becomes the Great Merchant. The second last player out becomes the Lessor Peon and the last person out becomes the Greater Peon. Any other players become Merchants and sit between the Great Merchant and the Peons. Players re-arrange themselves by rank.
In every round but the first the Greater Peon is the one responsible for shuffling, dealing and collecting cards after a set is complete. At the start of each round the Greater Peon must give the Greater Dalmuti his two lowest cards and the Dalmuti gives the Peon ANY two cards. The lessor Dalmuti and Peon do a similar trade for one card. The greater merchant can then trade any one card with another merchant blindly. The Greater Dalmuti then has the lead.
If the two joker cards are ever dealt to the same person, they have the ability to call a revolution, in this case no cards are traded. If the greater peon ever gets both jokers, you have a greater revolution and all players change places with their opposite.
Generally the game is just played on a round by round basis for fun, but scoring rules are included. The rules also encourage players act their roles, with the Dalmuti getting the best seat in the house, and the peon being forced to get everyones drinks for example.
[glow=green,2,300]The Good:[/glow]
We have played this game with I think 15 players and it still works. I love the fact that it's just as much fun for 4 as it is for 14. The rules are so simple to learn but there is still quite a bit of strategy in how you play them. Probably one of the best games for non-gamers. As we have recently discovered, it's a good drinking game as well.
[glow=yellow,2,300]The Bad:[/glow]
Umm... it sucks to be the Peon. I thought of one: you need enough room to play. This one doesn't really work for the group of people with only a small table, you need enough room to fit everyone. This makes it perfect at a hall or such, or if you have a massive gaming table like me, but not the best for the normal kitchen table players.
[glow=red,2,300]The Ugly:[/glow]
The box this game comes in is not really designed for travel, and you will be traveling with this game. I don't think ours lasted a week without splitting along more then one seam. A plastic case would have been a nice touch.
[glow=purple,2,300]Overall:[/glow]
Probably one of the best games I own. Mainly due to it's pick up and play easy to teach and easy to learn nature. Add that to the fact that you can play it with nearly any size group and you have the perfect game for any social gathering.
Quickly: A great card game for nearly any number of players.
[glow=blue,2,300]Summary:[/glow]
This was the game that made Richard Garfield semi famous before he made Magic the Gathering and became very famous. This is a simple to learn card game that is really an expansion on the standard 52 card deck game President (sometimes called something a little less pleasant).
The deck in this game consists of two jokers and a set of numbered cards. The numbered cards range from 1 to 12, and there are an number of cards of each type equal to its number. So there are 8 eights, 3 threes, 12 twelves, etc. The Jokers are mirror cards, meaning they mirror the card they are played with. So if a joker was played with a three, it counts as a three. If ever played alone they are worth 13.
Players take turns playing sets of cards. These sets all have to have the same number (or include a joker). The next player then has to play the same number of cards of a lower denomination or pass. Play proceeds around the table until everyone has passed. Then the person that played the lowest set gets the lead and begins a new round. So for example one player could lead 3 twelves, then the next player could play 3 sixes, then 3 fours, then the last plays 3 threes and a joker, making it 4 threes winning the round. Play proceeds until the players are out of cards. As players run out of cards they remember what order they went out in. Once everyone is out of cards this determines the 'rank' of the player for the next round.
The first player out becomes The Great Dalmuti. The second becomes the Lesser Dalmuti. The next becomes the Great Merchant. The second last player out becomes the Lessor Peon and the last person out becomes the Greater Peon. Any other players become Merchants and sit between the Great Merchant and the Peons. Players re-arrange themselves by rank.
In every round but the first the Greater Peon is the one responsible for shuffling, dealing and collecting cards after a set is complete. At the start of each round the Greater Peon must give the Greater Dalmuti his two lowest cards and the Dalmuti gives the Peon ANY two cards. The lessor Dalmuti and Peon do a similar trade for one card. The greater merchant can then trade any one card with another merchant blindly. The Greater Dalmuti then has the lead.
If the two joker cards are ever dealt to the same person, they have the ability to call a revolution, in this case no cards are traded. If the greater peon ever gets both jokers, you have a greater revolution and all players change places with their opposite.
Generally the game is just played on a round by round basis for fun, but scoring rules are included. The rules also encourage players act their roles, with the Dalmuti getting the best seat in the house, and the peon being forced to get everyones drinks for example.
[glow=green,2,300]The Good:[/glow]
We have played this game with I think 15 players and it still works. I love the fact that it's just as much fun for 4 as it is for 14. The rules are so simple to learn but there is still quite a bit of strategy in how you play them. Probably one of the best games for non-gamers. As we have recently discovered, it's a good drinking game as well.
[glow=yellow,2,300]The Bad:[/glow]
Umm... it sucks to be the Peon. I thought of one: you need enough room to play. This one doesn't really work for the group of people with only a small table, you need enough room to fit everyone. This makes it perfect at a hall or such, or if you have a massive gaming table like me, but not the best for the normal kitchen table players.
[glow=red,2,300]The Ugly:[/glow]
The box this game comes in is not really designed for travel, and you will be traveling with this game. I don't think ours lasted a week without splitting along more then one seam. A plastic case would have been a nice touch.
[glow=purple,2,300]Overall:[/glow]
Probably one of the best games I own. Mainly due to it's pick up and play easy to teach and easy to learn nature. Add that to the fact that you can play it with nearly any size group and you have the perfect game for any social gathering.