About Abstrac

Let me tell you about Abstrac, a cool card game designed by David Parlett. It’s a game for two players where the challenge is to create sets of cards called melds. The tricky part is that you have to do it using only a specific set of cards, and you want to keep the number of extra cards you draw to a minimum.

What makes this game interesting is that you know all the cards right from the start. So, winning depends on your ability to carefully analyze the situation and make the right decisions.

The Cards and the Deal

To play Abstrac, you’ll need a deck of 24 cards, which includes the numbers 9 to Ace in each suit. Mix up the cards really well, and then deal them all face up in a row, with each card overlapping the previous one. The dealer changes with each round, so everyone gets a turn.

Let’s Start Playing!

So here’s how it goes: I have the choice to either go first or second. When it’s my turn, I need to look carefully at the cards and decide whether I want to take one, two, or three cards. I have to collect the cards from right to left, starting with the top card. And, I have to make sure to place the cards I collect in front of me so that my opponent can see them.

We keep playing like this until all the cards have been collected.

Now let’s talk about scoring.

After we’ve collected all the cards, it’s time to count up the points. We earn points by making sets and runs with the cards we have. And the best part is, we can use the same card in both a set and a run. Let me give you an example: if I have the J♠, J♣, J♦, and also the 9♦ and 10♦, I can use the J♦ to score points for both a set and a run.

Let me break it down for you!

Here’s how points are awarded:

If you have sets of 3, you get 2 points.

If you have sets of 4, you get 8 points.

For runs of 3, you get 3 points.

For runs of 4, it’s 4 points.

For runs of 5, you get 6 points.

And for runs of 6, it’s a big 12 points!

After you calculate your points for sets and runs, it’s time to figure out your score for the round. You take your total score and multiply it by the number of cards your opponent collected. That number is your score for the round. For example, let’s say you earned 12 points and your opponent took 9 cards. Your score for the round would be (12×9) 108.

Now let’s talk about winning:

The first player to get 500 or more points wins the game! Simple as that. But what happens if both players reach 500 or more at the exact same time? Well, in that case, the player with the highest score takes home the victory!

The first player to get 500 or more points wins the game! But if both players reach 500 or more at the same time, the player with the highest score wins.