Let’s Play CHECKS – A Fun Card Game for Two

Hey there! I’m here to tell you all about this super cool card game called CHECKS. It was created and published by James Yates, and let me tell you, it’s a blast! The game is all about capturing cards and using them strategically to earn points. So, grab a friend and let’s dive right in!

Get Ready to Play with Cards

First things first, let’s talk about the cards. In CHECKS, we use a standard 52-card deck. So, no fancy or special cards here, just good old classics! To decide who gets to deal first, we draw high cards until someone gets lucky. Once we have our dealer, it’s time to shuffle the deck and deal!

Each player gets six fans of three cards each, facedown. These cards are your secret weapons, so keep them hidden from your opponent! Next, we place six target cards face up in a row. These are the cards you’ll be fighting for throughout the game. The rest of the deck becomes the draw pile, sitting patiently on the side, waiting to be used.

The Game

Let’s get into the exciting world of a card game called Fan Attack! In this game, both players will start by picking up their first fan. Each player has their own fan, and the first fan is the one on the far left for each player. Remember, only the player who is holding the cards should be able to see them. Now, it’s time to find out who will go first!

Collecting Target Cards

When it’s your turn, you have the opportunity to claim a target card using your activated fan. But how do you win a target card? Well, here’s the scoop:

Each card in this game has a specific value. Aces are worth 1 point, while 2’s to 9’s are worth their face value. However, face cards like kings, queens, and jacks have no value at all. Keep in mind that a fan cannot be worth more than 10 points. If the total of your fan adds up to 11 or more, the value of your fan is determined by the second digit. For example, if your fan’s total is 15, its value is only 5.

So, how do you claim a target card? It’s simple! Just match the value of the target card to the value of your fan. If the values match, you win the target card along with all the other cards in your fan. Score!

If you have a fan of cards and want to match it to a target card, you can do so by making sure that the total points of your fan match the points on the target card. If they do, you collect the target card and put it aside with your fan. After that, you fill the space in the line of target cards with the top card from the draw pile. When there are no more cards left in the draw pile, you keep playing with the remaining target cards.

For example, let’s say Player 1 has a fan with a J, 7, and 3. The total value of their fan is 10. There is a target card with a value of 10. Player 1 shows their opponent that the value of their fan is 10 and takes the 10 target card. They then put the J, 7, 3, and 10 aside in a pile.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU CAN’T CLAIM A TARGET CARD

If I can’t claim a target card, I just pick any card from my fan and put it on top of the target card. The card I choose becomes the new target card for that pile. And my fan’s value is the total of the cards I have left.

I don’t have to claim a target card if I don’t want to. I can just play a card to the target card row. It’s my choice. But once I’ve claimed a target card or played a card to the row, my turn is done.

If I’m lucky and I claim a target card that has become a pile, I get to take the whole pile with my fan. A pile of target cards is worth more than just one target card.

Once I’ve used up all the cards in my fan, I can pick up the next one to keep playing.

When you and your opponent have played all your cards, the game is finished. Now it’s time to add up the scores and see who wins! If you’re playing multiple games, the winner of the previous game gets to be the dealer for the next one.

How to Score

Every single card, no matter what number or face it has, is worth 1 point when you capture it. When the game is over, count all the cards you’ve captured in your pile. Remember, any target cards that are still on the table don’t count for either player.

How to Win

The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner. So keep capturing those cards to rack up your score!