in case this helps... 07:52 May 7, 2007
This game originates from China. It first arrived in the West in the 1980s and is now played all around the world.
It is primarily a game of observation. It is extremely engaging and can involve a rather sophisticated set of rituals.
7-8 years and upwards
4 to 5 players.
Requires a full pack of 52 cards + 2 jokers
Object of the game
To keep hold of the king (or queen) for as long as possible, and to be the first to get rid of all of ones cards.
How to play
Each player is given a social rank:
- King
- Prince
- Knight
- Squire
- Jester
Each one takes a card from the pack to determine the hierarchy. The player with the highest number is the king, the second highest – the prince etc. If two players pick a card of the same value, they pick again to decide between them.
(If there are only four players, the role of squire is omitted)
It is important to be able to distinguish between the roles of the players. For example, they should have different seats to match their rank (a comfortable armchair for the king... a stool for the jester), or have suitable accessories (perhaps a large chain for the king, a brooch for the prince... and a string neck cord for the jester). Alternatively, the players might all wear paper hats with their roles written on them.
Card order: Joker, Ace (1), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
The players take their place around the table in the order of their social rank. The jester (the only player who has to do any work) deals all of the cards, starting with the king first.
The king gives the worst two cards in his hand back to the jester, who deals him two replacements.
The prince swaps his weakest card for the strongest card of the knight. The squire keeps the whole of his hand.
The king is the first to play. He lays down a single card, or several cards of the same value e.g. a pair, three of a kind or four of a kind.
The next player has to play a similar combination, but stronger (e.g. a pair of aces to follow a pair of jacks, or a 10 to follow a 7...); if he cannot, then he must miss his turn.
The strongest card in the pack is the joker. It can be played on its own and on top of any combination. For example, if a joker is played on top of three 5s, the next player can then play three 8s.
The player who has played the strongest combination picks up the ‘box’ (all of the cards that have been played) and places them in a pile beside him. He then starts the next round, choosing from the remaining cards in his hand.
The first player to play all of his cards wins the round, and becomes the king for the following round. The second player out then becomes the prince... and the last player to play out becomes the jester. Hence, the players change places and identifying paraphernalia before the start of each new game.
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