BARTOK: An Unconventional Card Game

Hey there! Let me introduce you to Bartok, a super fun card game that’s all about having a great time with your friends. The best part? It can go on for as long as you like because there’s no traditional way to win! Crazy, right? Instead, you make your own rules for winning, adding a unique twist to each round. Buckle up and get ready for a wild ride!

Bartok is like the game Crazy Eights, but with a major twist. As you play, the rules keep changing, making it a real challenge. See, after each hand, the winner gets to create a new rule that everyone else has to follow in the next round. The longer you play, the crazier it gets, and the harder it becomes to keep track of all the rules. It’s a game that’s designed to keep you on your toes!

Setting Up for Bartok

Now, let’s talk about how to set up for a game of Bartok. The first thing you need is a deck of cards. A dealer shuffles the deck and deals 7 cards to each player. The remaining cards form a draw pile in the center, and the top card is flipped to start the discard pile. Easy peasy, right?

Understanding Card Rankings and Values

In this game, I don’t start with any predefined value or ranking for my cards. But later on, if I feel like it, I can assign values to them.

PLAYING THE GAME

At the beginning, the rules are pretty straightforward. I get rid of a card from my hand and place it in the discard pile. The card I choose must match either the suit or the rank of the previously discarded card. If I can’t or don’t want to do that, I simply draw a card from the deck.

As the game goes on, new rules will be added. Some cards might change how the game works. If I play a card that is against the rules, the other players get to decide. If they think it’s illegal, I have to draw one or more penalty cards from the deck as punishment.

Normally, during the game, I can’t ask questions about the rules. I have to figure them out on my own.

When I’m left with only one card in my hand, I have to shout “Bartok!” so everyone knows. This is an important part of the game.

Examples of Rules

After we finish a hand, I get to create a new rule for the next hand. These rules can be anything! They can change the way the game works or make players do fun things when certain actions happen.

Let me give you an example. Whenever I discard an even card, I have to say the card’s name out loud. And if someone plays an Ace, we have to reverse the order of play. And you know what? I can even make 7s wild cards that can be played on any other card! The possibilities are endless!

If a new rule contradicts an old rule, we usually just replace the old rule with the new one. Easy peasy, right?

End of the Game

When I get rid of all my cards, that means I’ve won the hand! Then, I get to come up with a new rule for the next round and we can start a new game.

But here’s the cool part. We can stop playing whenever we want. If I get tired or if we all decide we’ve had enough fun, we can end the whole game. It’s totally up to us!