Switch

Objective:

Switch is a card shedding game for 4 players. The object of the game is to score the least points. The winner of each hand is the first player to play all of their cards.

To Deal:

At the beginning of the game, the dealer is randomly selected and during the game, the deal continues around the table clockwise.

Switch uses two standard 52 card decks and five cards are randomly dealt to each player (a different amounts of cards may be dealt for a different number of players). The remaining cards are placed face down on the table to form the draw from pile (DFP). The top card of the DFP is placed, face up, right next to the draw from pile, to start the discard pile (DP).

Game Play:

The player to the immediate left of the dealer always plays first and the play proceeds clockwise until it is changed by the game:

1. Any player, whose turn it is, may play an Ace at any time, and the player of the Ace must choose the suit desired.
2. A card which matches the value or suit of the card on top of the DP, is considered a good play (for example if the top card on the DP is the 10 of spades then a 10, any spade, or an 8 are all allowable plays).
3. Any number of cards can be played in a single turn as long as the card matches the rank or suit of the card currently on top of the discard pile, or is a power card that does not require rank and/or suit to be followed. When finished playing clicking pass to signal the end of the turn. Some variations may only allow one card to be played at a time.
4. Each player either plays an allowable card face up on top of the discard pile, or draws a card from the DFP.
5. A player my draw one card from the draw from pile. Play then moves to the next player.
6. The first player to discard their last card wins the hand and play stops. All other players score for the cards remaining in their hands.
7. However, if no player can discard their last card and there are no cards available in the DFP the play continues without drawing. A player who cannot or does not want to play a card simply passes.
8. If all players pass, the game is considered blocked. Play stops and all players score for the cards remaining in their hands.

Power Cards:

• Aces are wild cards and can be played anytime. The player that plays the Ace dictates the suit required to be followed from that point on. Worth 50 points.
• If a 8 is played then the next player must skip a turn, or play another 8 to counter. Worth 30 points.
• Kings cause the direction of play to reverse. Worth 30 points.
• When a player plays a 2 then the next player is required to draw 2 cards or play another 2. After drawling play moves to the next player. Worth 30 points.
• Playing a Black Jack is a draw 5. Worth 50 points.
• Playing a Red Jack removes 5 force draws. Worth 50 points.
• A 3 allows the player to take another turn. Worth 25 points.
• A Queen allows any card to be played onto it, but when played it must follow the normal rules. Worth 25 points.
• All other cards are worth: face cards are scored at 10 points and the rest at face value (for example a 5 = 5 points, a 9 = 9 points, and so on)

Winning:

• The total value of all the cards in the hands of the non-winning players is added up for each hand.
• The game continues until 1 player reaches 300 points (point value may be different for different number of players).
• Once one player reaches 300 points the person with the lowest score wins.

Modified on 9/2/2017 from Wikipedia