SWEET SIXTEEN



OBJECTIVE OF SWEET SIXTEEN:  Be the player with the most tokens at the end of the game

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 – 10 players

MATERIALS: 52 card deck, chips or tokens

RANK OF CARDS: (low) Ace – King (high)

TYPE OF GAME: Casino

AUDIENCE: Adults


INTRODUCTION OF SWEET SIXTEEN

Sweet Sixteen is a casino style gambling game that combines elements of Black Jack with a unique scoring system.  Players will either earn chips from the bank or pay out to it based on the hand they are able to create.  Rather than trying to hit 21, in Sweet Sixteen, players must hit 16 exactly in order to win.  

THE CARDS & THE DEAL

In order to play Sweet Sixteen, you will need a standard 52 card French deck and enough chips or tokens for each player to get ten.  You will also need a good number of chips for the bank.

During this game, each player will be the banker one time.  The game ends once everyone has been the banker.  To decide who will be the first banker, each player should take a card from the deck.  The player with the lowest card must be the first banker.

Remove the 6’s from the deck.  Leaving behind the 8 of diamonds, remove the other three 8’s as well.  

For each round, the dealer will act as banker.  The banker should shuffle the deck thoroughly and begin the game by dealing two cards face down to the player on their left.

THE PLAY

Beginning with the player to the left of the dealer, they look at the two cards that have been dealt to them.  They can choose to keep the cards they were dealt, or they may trade cards in one at a time.  Any card that is traded in must be placed face down as a waste pile.  Once the player has decided to stop trading cards, hit 16 exactly, or busted by going over 16, their turn is over.  They should simply say they are done and pass.  

Please note that a player should never say what is in their hand even if they bust or hit 16 exactly.  The cards will be revealed at the end of the round.

Once the first player is finished with their turn, the banker shuffles the waste pile back into the deck and deals two cards to the next player.  They also get to trade cards until they are happy with their hand or bust.

Play like this continues until each player has built a hand.  Once each player has built a hand, it is time to end the round.

SCORING

Players will either earn chips from the bank, or they will pay the bank depending on the outcome of the round.

Hand ValueChip Payment
16 Earn one chip per player in the game
16 that includes the 8 of diamondsEarn two chips per player in the game
Less than 16Pay one chip to the bank
More than 16Pay one chip to the bank for each point over 16
Best handEarn ten chips, shared if tied

WINNING

After each player has been the banker one time, the game is over.  The player with the most chips wins.

Amber Crook
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