EMPAT SATU (41)

OBJECT OF EMPAT SATU (41): The object of Empat Satu (41) is to collect the highest total possible.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 to 4 players

MATERIALS: One standard 52-card deck, a way to keep score, and a flat surface.

TYPE OF GAME: Drawing and Discarding Card Game

AUDIENCE: All Ages

OVERVIEW OF EMPAT SATU (41)

Empat Satu, also known as 41, is a drawing and discarding card game for 2 to 4 players. The goal of the game is to collect up to 4 cards all the same suit with the highest total value as possible. 

Players do this by drawing and discarding cards until a player is happy with their hand or when the stockpile runs out, whichever happens first. 

SETUP 

The first dealer is random but in future games, it is the loser who will become the new dealer. The dealer will shuffle the deck and deal each player a hand of 4 cards. The remainder of the deck will be placed centrally as a stockpile. 

Card Values 

The cards have values attached to them. Aces are worth 11 points. Kings, Queens, Jacks, and 10s are all worth 10 points. 9s through 2s are all worth their numeric values. The best hand a player can get is the Ace, King, Queen, and Jack of the same suit. This gives that player a hand total of 41 points. 

GAMEPLAY

The first game begins with the dealer and in future games, the first player will be the previous game’s winner. 

The first player will draw the top card of the draw pile and discard any card to start a discard pile. in future turns, a player has the option of drawing the top card of the draw or discard pile. then they must discard one card. If they drew from the draw pile, they may discard any card, but if they drew from the discard pile, they may not discard the card they just drew. 

If at the start of your turn if you have four cards all the same suit you may stop the game and start the scoring of the game. it is possible to stop the game on your first turn if you were dealt 4 cards of the same suit. 

You may not stop the game however if you have already drawn and discarded, you will have to wait for your next turn. 

If no one stops the game, the game will end when the stockpile is empty, and the drawing player does not want the previous player’s discarded card. 

SCORING

After the game is done players will score their hands. All cards of a single suit are totaled together, all other cards are subtracted from that total. For example, if your hand consists of an ace of hearts, a 7 of hearts, a 5 of clubs, and an 8 of diamonds. Hearts are totaled to equal 17 and 5 and 8, 13, is subtracted. This leaves that player’s hand with a total of 4. A player’s hand can be negative. 

Players who have tied hands will look at their worst cards and the player with the worse card is ranked below the other player.  For example, if Player A has a hand of 3 of hearts, 7 of hearts, 5 of hearts, and 5 of diamonds. Player B has a hand of Ace of diamonds, 7 of diamonds, 6 of clubs, and the 2 of hearts. This results in both players having a hand total of 10. The players’ worst cards are the 5 of diamonds and 6 of clubs. Because the 6 of clubs is worse for Player B, player A’s hand is better. 

In the end, there will be a winner with the highest total and a loser with the lowest total. 

END OF GAME

The game ends when the players wish it to. The results of rounds can be kept score of so that a final winner can be crowned. 

Amber Crook
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