Objective of the Game
The goal of "The Lucky Thirteen" is to create combinations of cards that add up to exactly 13 in order to remove them from the game. The player who first gets rid of all their cards wins the game.
Setup
- The game is played with a standard deck of 52 cards.
- Shuffle the deck well and distribute an equal number of hidden cards to each player.
- The remaining cards form a draw pile in the center, from which more cards are drawn during the game.
Basic Rules
- The player to the left of the dealer starts.
- In each turn, a player may lay down one or more face-up cards on the discard pile, with their total value equaling 13.
- Card values: Ace = 1, Number cards = face value, Jack = 11, Queen = 12, King = 13.
- Kings can be laid down on their own, as their value is 13.
Turn Sequence
- Lay down cards: Lay down card combinations that total 13.
- Draw cards: Draw cards from the pile to replenish your hand to the original number of cards you started with.
- Next player: The next player takes their turn.
Winning the Game
- The first player to lay down all their cards onto the discard pile wins the game.
- If the draw pile is empty and no player has discarded all their cards, the player with the fewest remaining cards in hand wins.
Strategic Tips
- Aim to create large combinations to lay down as many cards as possible in one turn, clearing space for new cards.
- Keep an eye on Kings as they can be played individually; retaining them allows flexibility in getting rid of cards later in the game.
- Observe what cards other players are discarding to anticipate their strategies.
Special Features: - Some variants of the game include joker cards that can be used as a wild card with any value needed to complete 13.
