Discover the Exciting World of Arizona Ninety-Eight

Hey there! Have you ever played a fun and dynamic card game with your friends? Well, let me introduce you to Arizona Ninety-Eight, an awesome game that can be played by 2 or more players. The best part? It’s super easy to learn!

Let’s Get Started: The Setup

First things first, we need to set up the game. The deck of cards is shuffled, and each player is dealt 4 cards. The rest of the cards create a stockpile right in the middle of the playing area. Oh, and don’t forget to leave some space next to the stockpile for the discard pile.

Now, some people play by having the dealer flip a card to start the discard pile. If the card has any special abilities, they come into play right away. How exciting is that?

Special Abilities of the Cards

Okay, let’s dive into the different types of cards and their unique powers.

First, we have the numeric cards – 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10. These cards add their numerical value to the discard pile. Simple, right?

But wait, there’s more! The other ranked cards have special abilities of their own. They bring a whole new level of strategy to the game.

When it comes to playing cards, there are certain rules that dictate how the value of the discard pile can change. Let me explain:

Aces are special cards because they can increase the value of the discard pile either by 1 or 11. So, when you decide to discard an Ace, it’s up to you to choose which value to add to the pile.

Now, let’s talk about 9s. When you discard a 9, it doesn’t add any value to the pile, but it does reverse the direction of play. This means that if the game was going clockwise, it will now go counterclockwise, and vice versa.

Next up, we have Jacks. These cards are quite interesting because they actually reduce the value of the discard pile by 10 points. So, if the pile had a value of 50 and you discard a Jack, it will now be worth 40.

Queens and 4s, on the other hand, don’t really have any effect on the discard pile. When you discard a Queen or a 4, they simply add no value to the pile.

Now, let’s talk about Kings. When you discard a King, something special happens. The value of the discard pile changes to 98 points. It’s a powerful move that can really shake things up!

And finally, we have Jokers. These cards are wildcards that can completely change the value of the pile. When you discard a Joker, the value of the pile becomes 98. But here’s the catch: the next player has to either play two cards to the pile, one after the other, or play the other Joker. It’s a tricky move that can really throw off your opponents. Oh, and if a player gets eliminated by a Joker, the next player has to take on the unmet requirements of that Joker. Talk about a twist!

GAMEPLAY

Let’s get started with the game! I’ll explain how it works in simple terms, so everyone can easily understand.

First, we need to determine which player goes first. The player on the left side of the dealer will start, and then we’ll go around the table in a clockwise direction.

When it’s your turn, you’ll need to choose one of the four cards in your hand to discard. You can only discard one card per turn. After you’ve chosen the card to discard, make sure to say out loud the new value of the discard pile.

Once you’ve discarded your card, it’s time to draw a new one from the stockpile. This replenishes your hand with a fresh card to keep the game going.

If you happen to have multiple cards of the same rank in your hand, you have a special advantage! You can play as many of those cards as you want to the discard pile. This will increase the pile’s value by the total value of the cards you played. It’s like having a bonus!

Now, remember that at the end of your turn, you’ll need to draw back up to four cards to replenish your hand. This will ensure that you always have enough cards to play with.

Once you’ve taken your turn, it’s time to pass the turn to the next player. The game will continue in this manner until someone wins!

When you play cards and add them to the discard pile, the points will go up and down. But be careful! If the value of the pile exceeds 98 points and you can’t add any more cards, you’re out of the game. Don’t worry, though. The next player gets a turn, and the game keeps going.

If we run out of cards from the stock, we can still play without drawing. However, if you have no cards in your hand and still need to play, you’ll be eliminated. Here’s a fun twist: before we start dealing, the dealer picks a special card from the deck and puts it face-up at the end of the draw pile. This card is like a reward for the last player who can fill up their hand.

The Game Comes to an End

Once there’s only one player left, that person is declared the winner. Congratulations!