CONQUIAN

OBJECT OF CONQUIAN: The object of Conquian is to play all your cards and “go out”. 

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 players

MATERIALS: One modified 52-card deck, and a flat surface.

TYPE OF GAME: Rummy Card Game

AUDIENCE: All Ages

OVERVIEW OF CONQUIAN

Conquian is a rummy style card game meant for 2 players. It uses a modified 52 card deck most commonly in America but can also use a Spanish deck of 40 cards. 

In Conquian the two players will compete to be the first player to play all their cards from hand and successfully “go out”. The first player to do so wins the round and the game if only one round is being played. Sometimes the game is played with bids meaning the winner of a round will win the stakes made at the start of the game. 

SETUP

The first dealer is random and is passed back and forth if future rounds occur. The dealer will shuffle the deck and deal each player a total of 10 cards each, one at a time. The remaining cards are placed in a face-down stockpile used for the remainder of the game. Once players receive their hands, play begins. 

Card Rankings 

To play with a modified 52-card deck the 10s, 9s, and 8s are removed. This leaves a 40-card deck in this ranking order. King, Queen, Jack, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and Ace.  The Ace cannot be used as a higher ranked card than the king in this game. 

Melds

The game is played through making and adding to melds. A meld is either a set or sequence of cards. A set is 3 to 4 cards of the same rank melded together, and a sequence is 3 or more cards of the same suit in ranking order. Cards can only be played to a single meld, and the maximum a meld can contain is 8 cards. This is restricted because to go out a player must meld at the minimum 11 cards. This can only be done by making them into 2 melds as a single meld cannot contain 11 cards. 

GAMEPLAY

The player opposite the dealer will start the game. they begin by flipping the first card of the stockpile. From here that player can perform one of two actions. Either they can use this card to make a meld from their hand, or they must leave it on the table for the dealer to possibly use. Regardless of which the choose the dealer’s turn then begins. Turns will alternate until the game is over. 

The remaining turns will follow a similar pattern. The player will have the option to use the most recent discarded or revealed card from their opponent’s turn.  If they choose to use it that player must make a meld involving the card. then a card must be discarded to the table for the next turn. Then it is the next player’s turn.

If they choose not to, the card is moved to the facedown waste pile. The next top card of the stock is flipped, and they receive the same options with this card. Either they can use it to make a meld and discard a card to end their turn or they can pass their turn to the next player without playing anything. 

On your turn, if you meld, you may rearrange your melded cards in any way as long as by the end of your turn all melded cards are in valid melds. Also, if the center card can be added to a meld you own with no additional cards being used, your opponent can force you to perform this meld, possibly disrupting your strategic hand. 

END OF GAME

The game ends once a player has successfully gone out or the stockpile is empty. 

To validly go out you will need to meld the center card on your turn and empty your hand completely. You must have at least 11 cards melded in front of you. If you managed to meld 10 cards and discard the last this does not win you the game. you will have to keep playing until you can meld the 11th card needed to win. 

If the stockpile is emptied and you are unable to reveal from it the game ends. This results in a tie. This can either mean a draw for the game or a second game for possible double stakes if betting. 

Amber Crook
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