Objective of the Game
The objective of Acht Karten (8 Cards) is to be the first player to discard all cards from your hand. The game is played in rounds, and a match may consist of several rounds.
Setup
- Number of Players: 2-6 players
- Deck: Use a standard 52-card deck.
Preparation: 1. Shuffle the deck thoroughly. 2. Each player is dealt eight cards face down. 3. The remaining cards form a draw pile, which is placed face down in the middle. 4. The top card of the draw pile is placed face up next to it to start the discard pile.
Gameplay
The player to the left of the dealer starts. In turn order, players either draw a card from the draw pile or take the top card from the discard pile into their hand. Then, they must discard one card from their hand onto the discard pile.
Discarding Rules: - A card can be discarded if it has the same number or the same suit (heart, spade, club, diamond) as the top card of the discard pile. - Special Cards: Some cards have special effects: - Eight: The next player is skipped. - Two: The next player must draw two cards. - Ace: The wild card. Can be played on any card and sets the new suit.
End of the Game
- The round ends when a player has discarded all their cards.
- This player scores points based on the cards remaining in other players' hands (cards count by their numbers: 2-10 as face value, Jack = 10, Queen = 10, King = 10, Ace = 15).
- The game concludes when a player reaches a predefined points threshold (e.g., 100 points). The player with the fewest points wins.
Strategic Tips
- Save Special Cards: It can be strategic to save special cards for the right moment, such as near the end of a round.
- Observe: Pay attention to which cards your opponents pick up. This can help you predict what they might hold in their hand.
Variations and Special Rules
- Depending on local variations, the effects of special cards may differ. Some rules allow playing two eights in succession to skip a specific player.
- A variation permits playing multiple cards of the same number simultaneously.
The game is easy to learn, fun, and promotes tactical thinking.
