Welcome to CRAITS!

Hey there! Have you ever played Crazy Eights? Well, Craits is a game that’s pretty similar. Let me tell you about it, but with a twist! In Craits, each hand is a different size. So, on the first hand, you’ll get dealt eight cards. Then, on the second hand, you’ll only get seven cards. It keeps going like this until you get to a one card hand. After that, it goes back up to eight cards again. This means you’ll play a total of fifteen rounds. Exciting, right?

Now, here’s what really sets Craits apart from Crazy Eights. In Craits, each card has a special ability, just like in the game Uno. There’s a lot to remember, but trust me, it’s worth it. This game is a blast to play! So, why not give it a try and learn something new?

Ready to Play? Here’s the Deal:

When it comes to playing Craits, you’ll need a standard deck of 52 cards. To determine who gets to be the dealer, each of us picks a card from the deck. Whoever has the lowest card becomes the dealer. It’s their responsibility to collect all the cards, mix them up really well, and start dealing.

Each round requires a specific number of cards to be dealt. In the first round, we each get 8 cards. In the second round, it’s 7 cards each. The third round is 6 cards each, and so on, until we’re down to just 1 card each. That’s when we start building back up, adding one card per round, until we reach the final round and go back to dealing 8 cards each. But if we want a quicker game, we can just play the first eight rounds.

Once the dealer has dealt the right number of cards, the remaining cards are placed face-down in the middle of our playing area. This forms the draw pile. The dealer then flips over the top card of the draw pile and puts it face-up next to it. This face-up card is now the discard pile.

DISCOVER WHAT EACH CARD DOES

Card	Ability
Ace	I use this when I want to start the game.
2	I’m the one who begins the game.
3	I don’t have any special ability, but I’m still important.
4	If you want to skip the next person’s turn, I’m your guy.
5	If you play me, everyone else has to draw a card.
6	I let the same person take another turn. But if they can’t play, they’ll have to draw a card instead.
7	If you’re looking to make the next person draw a card, I’m your card.
8	Think of me as a wild card. I allow you to change the discard pile to any suit you want.
9	With me, you can change the suit of the discard pile to the other suit of the same color.
10	If you want to reverse the direction of play, choose me.
Jack	I’m just an ordinary card. I don’t have any special ability.
Queen	Like the Jack, I don’t have any special ability either.
King	Just like the Jack and Queen, I don’t have any special ability.

THE PLAY

Let’s start with the dealer turning up the first card. This card is considered the dealer’s first turn. From there, each card played has a special ability that the following player must follow.

When it’s your turn, you have to follow the ability of the previous card played. You must also play a card that matches the suit or color of the previous card. If you don’t have a matching card, you have to draw one card from the draw pile. After that, it’s the next player’s turn.

But there’s one exception to this rule – when a 2 is played. A 2 triggers something called “the crank.” I’ll explain how it works in more detail later on.

When I have only one card left in my hand, it’s really important for me to announce it by saying so. If I forget to do that, someone else can jump in and call me an “idiot”. Believe me, if that happens, I’ll have to draw two more cards and lose my next turn. Talk about a double-edged sword!

A round ends when someone finally plays their very last card and “goes out”. But here’s the catch: we still have to follow the rules and abilities of that last card. For instance, if the last card played is a 7, the next player will still have to draw a card.

Playing a 2 is a game-changer because it activates “the crank”. Once the crank is activated, all players must play either an ace or a 2. The more aces or 2s we play, the higher the crank count goes. But here’s the twist: when it’s someone’s turn and they can’t play an ace or a 2, the crank stops, and guess what? That poor player needs to draw cards equal to the total value of the crank count.

Let’s say, for example, that the cards played were 2-A-2, and the next player couldn’t match with an ace or a 2. In that case, the player would have to draw five cards from the pile. Then it would be the next player’s turn and the game would continue as usual.

SCORING

A round ends when a player plays their last card. In that case, they don’t earn any points for that round. However, the other players will earn points based on the cards they have left in their hand. Here’s how the points are awarded:

If you’ve ever played card games, you know they can be a blast. There’s something about the thrill of the game, the anticipation of the next move, that keeps us coming back for more. And when it comes to card games, it’s important to understand the value of each card. In this article, I’ll break down the points associated with each card in a popular game.

Let’s start with the Ace. In this game, the Ace is worth 1 point. It may be the lowest value card, but don’t underestimate its power. Every card has its place.

Next up, we have the number 2. This card is worth a solid 20 points. It’s a valuable card to have in your hand, and can really give you an edge in the game.

Now, let’s talk about the number 3. The number 3 is an interesting card, as it can be worth either -50 points or used to cancel out another card in your hand. It’s a bit of a wild card, adding some unpredictability to the game.

Moving on to the number 4. This card is worth 15 points, which can be a nice boost to your score. Keep an eye out for it, as it can make a difference in the game.

Next, we have the number 5 and number 6. Both of these cards are worth a solid 30 points each. They are valuable cards to have and can really help elevate your score.

Now let’s move on to the number 7. This card is worth 20 points, adding some value to your hand. It may not be the highest-scoring card, but every point counts in the game.

Coming up next is the number 8. This card is worth a whopping 50 points, making it one of the most valuable cards in the game. If you have this card in your hand, you’re in a good position to score big.

Moving on to the number 9. This card is worth 30 points, which can be a nice addition to your score. Keep an eye out for it, as it can make a difference in the game.

Now let’s talk about the number 10. This card is worth 25 points. It’s not the highest-scoring card, but it’s still a valuable addition to your hand.

And finally, we have the Jack, Queen, and King. All three of these cards are worth 10 points each. While they may not be the highest-scoring cards, they still hold value in the game.

So there you have it, the points associated with each card in this popular card game. Remember, every card has its place and value. By understanding the points system, you can strategize and make smarter moves to come out on top. Good luck, and may the best player win!

Did you know that the number 3 has a special ability in the game? At the end of each round, if you only have 3s left in your hand, you lose 50 points for each one of them. But here’s the interesting part – you can also use 3s to cancel out other cards in your hand! For example, if you have a 3-2-8 at the end of the round, you can use the 3 to cancel out the 8, which is the highest valued card, and your score will be 20 points.

And do you know how to win the game? It’s simple! The player with the lowest total score at the end of the game is declared the winner. So, make sure to strategize and use those 3s wisely!