Our Secret Weapon

Our secret weapon:  

I found a simple card game at a thrift store we use often, especially if there are children—sometimes just with adults—we use Rook, different than face cards—the cards just need to have numbers.  Rook goes from 1 to 14.  We call the Rook card zero. 

 Name of our go-to game:  Golf. 

 Goal:  get the smallest number (of your cards added up.) We deal four cards to each person, two facing up—two face down.  Remaining cards placed face down in the middle.  Next to the remaining cards, place one face up to create a discard pile. 

Each person goes around clockwise in turn to choose either a mystery card (from the remaining cards facing down) or one from the discard pile (facing up) to trade to make their set of cards total a lower number, choosing from the mystery card pile or the discard pile. 

  

If you draw a high number and don’t want it, you discard it.  If it is a low card, you will want to keep it to trade with one of your cards, either one facing up or one facing down. If you begin a trade with a card facing downward (your own “mystery card”) the trade is one-way.  Once you uncover a personal mystery cards, you MUST trade, even if the mystery card has a lower number.  Simply discard it, and your neighbor gets the low card.  (Appropriate words from the neighbor: “¡Gracias!)

If and when a player thinks he or she has the lowest number (sum of four cards) it is time to  KNOCK on the table.  This signals each remaining player to have one more turn, after which all cards are revealed.  Everyone adds up the numbers on their cards, and the person with lowest sum of cards is the winner!

But really everyone wins.  Ice is broken. Kids learn to add.  Adults enjoy knowing a simple game to play with children, grandchildren, or by themselves.  We use this in our Family Night lessons, at the end of gospel lessons, and just for fun with members, friends, or just US.