Objective of the Game
Fan Tan is a card game where the goal is to be the first player to play all of your cards by laying them out in sequence on the table. The player who gets rid of all their cards first wins the game.
Game Materials
- A standard 52-card deck
Number of Players
- Minimum: 3 players
- Maximum: 6 players (More can play, but the card distribution may differ)
Setup
- Shuffle the 52-card deck thoroughly.
- Deal all the cards evenly among the players. Some players may receive one extra card depending on the number of players.
Basic Gameplay
- Starting Card: The player with the seven of clubs starts the game by placing this card face up in the middle of the table.
- Taking turns in a clockwise direction, each player must play a card if possible. Cards can only be played if they are either a seven or can build on cards already laid out in ascending or descending order (e.g., after the seven of clubs comes clubs-6 or clubs-8).
- Blocking: If a player cannot play a card, they must pass the turn, and optionally, lose a chip or point (optional rule variation for added excitement).
- The game continues until one player has played all their cards.
Special Features
- Seven as Key Cards: Only sevens can start a new sequence. This plays into the game's strategy, as holding and releasing sevens strategically can be crucial.
- Strategy: Players must plan when to place sevens and when to use low or high cards to create blocks for others.
- No Suit Switching: You can only continue a sequence within the same suit already laid down. For example, after hearts-7, only hearts-8 or hearts-6 can be played.
Ending the Game
The game ends when a player has played all their cards. Points can be scored by counting the number of cards left in the opponents' hands. The player with the fewest chips or lowest score can be declared the winner after several rounds.
