CARD HUNT

Welcome to Card Hunt, a simple yet captivating card game designed by Reiner Knizia. In this game, the goal is to win tricks with the least effort possible. Unlike other trick-taking games, where a trick ends after each player adds a card, Card Hunt keeps the tricks going until all but one player passes. This unique mechanic adds depth and excitement to the gameplay, as each player tries to outsmart their opponents by playing a higher-value card.

THE CARDS & THE DEAL

In the game of Card Hunt, I use a regular deck of 52 cards, just like the ones used in France. But before we start playing, we need to organize the deck into four sets of cards called suits. Each player gets one of these suits, which has thirteen cards ranging from 2 to Ace. Any extra cards are put aside and not used in the game. If there are more than four players who want to play, we’ll need a second deck.

When we start dealing, the cards go to the left in each round. We play one round for each player at the table.

THE PLAY

The first person to take their turn in the round gets to choose any card from their hand and play it on the table. It’s totally up to them which card they want to play. After that, each player can either play a higher-value card or pass their turn. If you pass, you’re out for the whole round and can’t play a card until the next round begins.

In this card game, the player who plays the highest card when everyone else passes wins the trick. They take all the cards and place them face down on the table. The person to their left starts the next trick.

This pattern continues until someone runs out of cards. Once a player plays their last card in a trick, that trick continues until all players have passed. The person who played the highest card wins the trick as usual.

SCORING

For each card they capture, players earn one point. Any cards left in hand at the end of the round go into a pile called “the fox.” These cards have no value.

WINNING

Each player at the table plays one round. The player with the highest score at the end of the game is the winner.