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Phase 10: Don’t Get Left Behind!

If Rummy and Uno had a baby, it would be Phase 10. This card game uses colorful numbered cards to force you to collect unique sets in a race against your opponents. It’s a fast-paced game that’ll keep you on your toes as you draw and discard cards while pondering your opponents’ next moves. If you’re looking for a fun alternative to Rummy that you can play on the go, then Phase 10 is the perfect card game for you.

Completing the Phases

Phase 10 is played in multiple rounds, with each round forcing you to collect a certain set of cards in order to advance. At the beginning of the first round, all of the players are in Phase 1. This requires you to collect two sets of three identical numbers. Players will go around in a circle drawing and discarding one card at a time. 

Once a player completes the phase and discards their last card, the round ends. All the players who still have cards in their hands will receive a penalty to their score based on the number of cards they have left and their value. When the next round begins, all the players who collected the right cards to complete Phase 1 get to move onto Phase 2. Everyone else is forced to complete Phase 1 again.

Phase 10 continues for multiple rounds until one player manages to be the first to complete all 10 phases. The trick of the game comes from being able to know which cards to discard in order to quickly catch up and beat out the other players. While the rules are pretty simple, there is a little wiggle room for a strategy that can make this card game more complex than meets the eye.

Special Cards

There is another element of Phase 10 that makes it a bit more challenging: the special cards. These cards can really throw a wrench in the works by allowing you to skip over opposing players during their turn. You can also draw wild cards that can have any color or number that you choose, allowing you to complete your set.

One thing that can bog down Phase 10 is the length of the game time. If you play it according to the traditional rules, games can often last upwards of 2 hours. However, there is a common house rule that many people employ to speed things up and make the most use of the points system of the game. 

By allowing everyone to advance to the next phase regardless of whether or not they manage to complete the set, then you can get to the finish line much faster. If you play Phase 10 using this house rule, then the player who has the best score by the end of the game is crowned the winner. This can incentivize you to complete your sets and win as many phases as possible.

Phase 10 Twist

Phase 10 Twist is a sequel to the original card game that adds some interesting twists to the original game. Instead of just using a deck of cards, Phase 10 Twist comes with a board with a phase track. This can be used to move players along and easily score the game without having to count the cards every time.

This sequel card game also includes Twist spots that force players to choose a different phase to complete than the one they originally were assigned. Players can choose from the optional Twist phases that are more difficult than the regular phases but offer more of a reward for completing. This card game also includes three discard piles, giving you an additional strategic element to consider when shedding cards.

Better Keep Up with Phase 10

Phase 10 is playable by 2-6 players, so it’s an easy card game to play on a family camping trip. It’s suitable for ages 8 and up, as it’s easy to comprehend and quick to pick up. Playing time lasts around 45 minutes to 2 hours, although it can be much shorter if you use the optional house rule.

Buy Phase 10 today and enjoy the lovechild of Rummy and Uno!

 

Five Crowns: The Game Isn’t Over ‘Til The Kings Go Wild!

Most card games involve your standard deck of playing cards, but that’s not enough for Five Crowns. This card game goes one step further by adding a fifth suit, throwing even more chaos into the clash of the royals. Five Crowns is played similar to the card game Rummy, although it’s a lot simpler and comes with beautifully designed cards. If you’re looking for a card game that’s fun for the whole family, then Five Crowns is the game for you.

Books, Straights, and Melds

In each hand, your goal is to make a set of cards (which is called a meld). However, the thing that sets this card game apart from Rummy is that the number of cards it takes to make a meld changes each hand. The number of cards you’re allowed to hold each round is equal to the number of cards you need to make a meld.

While on the first hand you need only three cards for your set, the number of cards increases by one each round all the way to thirteen in the last and eleventh hand. In order to make a valid meld, you need either a book or a straight. While a book is three or more cards of the same value, a straight is three or more cards of the same suit in consecutive order.

Throughout each hand, players will draw and discard one card at a time in order to try to make their meld. Once a player has successfully made a meld, the rest of the players have one final turn before the hand ends. Any cards that don’t get used to make a meld work against you, earning you points based on the face value of the card. Whichever player has the lowest score after the end of the eleventh hand wins the overall game.

Wild Cards

One of the twists of Five Crowns is that it comes with a number of wild cards that can help you make your meld. There are two joker cards that can be used however you please in any round. In addition to these joker cards, each round has a different wild card based on the number of cards you hold in your deck during the round. So, for example, the first round requires three cards in a meld, which means that threes are wild.

Another thing that sets Five Crowns apart from Rummy is that Five Crowns comes with an additional fifth suit, which is stars. There’s also no ace or deuce in the deck like you’d find in a normal deck of cards. The beautiful illustration of the cards is definitely one of the most alluring aspects of the game, as they go above and beyond a simple deck of cards you would use to play a game like Rummy.

Five Crowns Spinoffs

Five Crowns comes with several spinoff card games. Five Crowns Junior simplifies the game into only five hands, making it easier for younger players to learn. Instead of scoring points at the end of each hand and adding them up at the end, players will earn a treasure chest for winning each hand. The player with the most treasure chests at the end of the game wins.

Five Crowns Mini Round also simplifies the game by using fewer cards, although its biggest trait is the fact that it comes with tiny cards in a little tin. This makes the card game easy to travel with and play on the go.

Five Crowns: Rummy with a Twist

Five Crowns is playable by 1-7 players, so it’s just as good to play on your own as it is for the whole family. This card game is suitable for ages 8 and up, which makes it a good game to use to teach younger players how to collect sets and manage their hands. Playing time lasts around 30 minutes, so you can easily play a game or two on a weeknight or before dinner.

Five Crowns is perfect for fans of Rummy who are looking for something a bit simpler for the kids. Buy Five Crowns today and join the clash of the kings!

 

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