Welcome to Loba De Mas!

Loba De Mas is a fun card game that you can play with 2 to 5 people. The objective of the game is to be the first player to score 150 points or more.

In Loba De Mas, we usually play with bets. So, before starting the game, make sure to agree on the amount of money or chips that each player will put in the pot.

Getting Started

To start the game, each player needs to contribute an equal amount to the pot. The dealer is chosen randomly and will pass to the left after each round.

The dealer will shuffle the deck, which includes both sets of cards and all 4 jokers. Then, they will deal 11 cards to each player. The remaining cards are used to create a draw pile. The first player’s turn will also start a discard pile next to the draw pile.

Card Ranking and Values

The ranking of cards goes from Ace (highest), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, to Ace (lowest). Ace can be either the highest or lowest card, but you can’t use it to connect a high and low card like King-Ace-2.

The jokers and 2s are considered wild cards, but they can only be used in Escaleras, also known as runs. However, 2s can be used as natural 2s in Piernas.

Cards also have certain values that are used for scoring later on. You earn points for each card you have successfully melded, and if you still have cards in your hand at the end of the round, those cards will subtract from your total score.

When it comes to scoring in melds, Aces can be worth either 3 points or 1 point, depending on how they are used. If Aces are part of a meld with Kings, Queens, or Jacks, they are worth 3 points. Similarly, if Aces are in a meld with other Aces, they are also worth 3 points. However, if Aces are in a meld with 2s or 3s, they are only worth 1 point.

The value of Kings, Queens, Jacks, 10s, 9s, and 8s is consistent – they are all worth 2 points each. On the other hand, 7s through 3s are each worth 1 point. The value of Jokers and 2s depends on the card they represent. If they are used to show Ace (high) through 8, they are worth 3 points. However, if they represent 7 through Ace (low), then they are only worth 1 point.

It’s important to take into account that if you hold these same cards in your hand, they will incur a penalty. Aces are always worth -3 points when held in hand. Kings through 8s are worth -2 points, while 7s through 3s are worth -1 point each. Jokers and 2s also carry a penalty of -3 points each.

Melds

In this game, there are two types of melds – Piernas, also known as sets, and Escaleras, also known as runs.

So here’s the deal, piernas are basically sets of 3 to 6 cards that all have the same rank. But get this, they have to be from three different suits and you can’t have all 4 suits in there. Let’s say you have 2 kings of clubs, 2 kings of diamonds, and 1 king of spades – perfect combo! But you’re not allowed to throw in a king of hearts, sorry. Oh, and forget about using 2s or jokers as wild cards in piernas, but you can totally use 2s as naturals to make a pierna of 2s.

Now, escaleras are all about runs. You gotta have 3 to 13 cards in a specific order of rank, and they have to be from the same suit. The ace can be your best bud, either high or low, but it can’t bridge the gap. Got some jokers or aces? Bring ’em to the party, they’re welcome in escaleras. You can play around with as many wild cards as you want, but just to keep it real, escaleras can’t be all jokers – sorry to disappoint.

It’s Game Time!

Let’s get this party started! The first move is up to the player on the left of the dealer. Here’s how it goes: draw a card, play some cards, and finish off your turn by discarding. Easy peasy, right? Now, let’s have some fun!

When I’m playing a card game, I have two options for drawing a card. I can either take the top card from the deck or I can take the entire pile of discarded cards. But there’s one rule I need to remember – if there’s only one card in the discard pile, I can’t take it at the end of my turn.

After I draw a card, I have the choice to play some cards from my hand. I can either play a valid set of cards or I can add more cards to a set I already have on the table. But here’s the catch – I can’t play cards on someone else’s set.

Now, let’s talk about wild cards. If a wild card is on the outer edge of a set, I can move it around. But if it’s in the middle of a set, I can’t touch it. Here’s an example of how it works: let’s say I have a set of spades that goes 5, 6, 7, 8, and a wild card. If I also have a 9 of spades in my hand, I can move the wild card to represent the 4 of spades and then place my 9 of spades in its spot.

When it’s my turn to play, I have to choose a card from my hand and put it in the discard pile.

If we run out of cards in the stockpile, the round will end when the player who drew the last card puts it in the discard pile. But if someone manages to get rid of all their cards, that also ends the round.

SCORING

After the round is over, we count our points. If I ended the round by playing all my cards, I get 5 extra points. But if the round ended because we ran out of cards in the stockpile, nobody gets those extra 5 points.

If I still have cards in my hand, I subtract that number from the points I got for melding my cards. So, it’s possible to have a negative score.

We keep adding up our points over multiple rounds.

Imagine this: You’re playing a card game, and suddenly, you manage to get rid of every single card in your hand in one go. No previous plays, just a clean sweep. Guess what? You score a whopping 5 extra points for each player in the game. That’s quite the accomplishment!

The Game’s End

The game comes to a close once a player hits 150 points. At that moment, they collect their winnings from the pot, and a new round can begin. It’s a moment of triumph and celebration.

Allow me to introduce myself: I’m Amber, and I’m passionate about writing and games. You could say I’m a gaming expert, with a soft spot for dogs, plants, and D&D. If you’re into those things, then you and I are going to get along just fine. Stick around, because I’ve got plenty more gaming insights to share with you.