GAME FLIP FLOP

OBJECT OF GAME FLIP FLOP: The object of Game Flip Flop is to win the pots by completing certain goals before and during play. 

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3 to 5 players

MATERIALS: One standard 52-card deck, chips or money, and a flat surface.

TYPE OF GAME: Rummy Card Game

AUDIENCE: Adult

OVERVIEW OF GAME FLIP FLOP

Game Flip Flop is a rummy style card game made for 3 to 5 players. It is similar to Tonk, another rummy style game, and even has a mechanism by a similar name. In Game Flip Flop, there are three pots formed by players. These pots are won by having certain cards in your opening hand or by playing out cards from your hand during play. The goal of the game is to win pots, but also to not lose so much that you are eliminated from play. 

There are stakes in this game, whether played for money or just chips used as points. A certain number of chips or money should be established for each player’s pool. Then small stakes should also be established to pay into pots. An example of this would be all players having a starting pool of 20 dollars and each pot has a pay-in of 50 cents. 

SETUP 

There are three pots in the game. there is the game, the flip and the flop pots. Each of these will need to have a stake paid into them before the round begins. each player should also have an additional stake set aside in case of a 50 play (described more below). If at some point a player does not have at least the 4 needed stakes to play they start to lose aspects of the game. If a player only has three stakes they must pay into the game and the flip pots and leave the aside stake. This player cannot win the flop pot. The next lost is the flip. And if a player only has one stake it must go into the game pot. This is called “going all in” and if the game pot is not won by this player, they are eliminated. 

The dealer is chosen at random to start and passes clockwise with each new round. the dealer will shuffle the deck and deal each player a hand of 5 cards. the last card dealt to the dealer is dealt faceup. This is used in the flip and flop gameplay. The rest of the cards are used to form a stockpile in the center of the table. Once the first player has finished their turn a discard pile will also be started next to this pile. 

Card Rank and Values

Cards are ranked King (high), Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and Ace. 

They have values as well. Face cards have a value of 10 points each. The ace has a value of 1, and the remaining cards have a value associated with the numeric value on their card. 

GAMEPLAY

Before the first turn can start, and cards are drawn, several things are done. First players will look at their hands. If any player has a hand value of 49 or 50 with their starting hand, they may reveal it. This wins them the round of play. With a value of 49, the player wins the game pot, and with a value of 50, the player wins the game pot and the set-aside stakes of each player. If multiple players have 49 the pot is split equally. If multiple people have 50 other players, even those who might have 49 pay their extra stake to the pot, and the 50 players split it evenly.  

After this is completed players will compete to win the flip and flop pot. The flip is won by the lowest card revealed of the suit of the final dealt card to the dealer. The flop is won by the player who reveals the lowest card of the same colored suit as the revealed card. For example, if the flipped dealer’s card is a queen of hearts the best flip card is the ace of hearts and the best flop card is the ace of diamonds. 

Starting with the player to the left of the dealer they may reveal a card of the same suit but ranked lower for the flip and the lowest card they have for the flop suit. Players will only reveal a card if they have one that beats the previous. The winner of the pot is the lowest card revealed. Players reveal their cards before they take their first turn in the round. 

Once the first cycle to the dealer is played and all cards have been revealed the winner is given the stakes of the pots they won. The flip is always won, but they flop may not be won if no one has a card of the needed suit. In this case, the stakes remain in the flop pot and the slop pot becomes doubled next round. 

Starting with the player to the dealer’s left, each player will reveal their cards before their first turn. Then they may take their turn. On a player’s turn, they may draw from the stock or discard (except the first player on the first turn since there is not a starting discard). Then they may play out spreads or play cards to other spreads. Then if possible, they will discard a card from hand to the discard pile. 

A spread is either a run of 3 or more cards in the same suit in rank order or a set of 3 or 4 cards of the same rank. If these are in a player’s hand, they may play them out to reduce their hand value. They may also play cards onto their previous spreads or other players spreads by continuing the run or completing a set. The goal of the game is to reduce your hand value to as low as possible or zero by emptying your hand. 

ENDING THE ROUND

If you have successfully emptied your hand during your turn, by either discarding your last card or playing out the remaining cards from your hand, you have successfully gone out and you end the round. You also win the game pot

Other ways to end the round include dropping, and empty stock, or tunking out.

When a player drops, the reveal their entire hand and state they believe they have the lowest hand value. All other players reveal their hands and if the dropping player was correct, they win the game pit. If any other player has an equal or lower hand value, they win the pot and the dropping player must pay an additional stake into the pot. If two players other than the dropping player are tied for the lowest hand, they share the pot and the dropping player’s extra stake equally. 

If a player draws the last card of the stockpile, they finish their turn and then all players reveal their hands. The lowest valued hand wins the game pot, or if a tie, share the game pot. 

To tunk out, a player must lay down two spreads of three cards. This means they go out without a discard and play no other cards on previous spreads. The player who completes this wins the game pot and the additional set aside stakes from each other player. 

END OF GAME

The game can end when players wish to stop playing or only one player remains with stakes to play. 

Amber Crook
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