OBJECTIVE OF KEEP TRYING: Win Rounds!
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3-7 players
NUMBER OF CARDS: standard 52 card deck
RANK OF CARDS: A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
TYPE OF GAME: Gambling
AUDIENCE: All Ages
KEEP TRYING – HOW TO DEAL
The first dealer in Keep Trying is chosen randomly; players may choose whatever mechanism to pick a dealer they please. The dealer deals each player 5 cards. Cards should be dealt face-down and one at a time. After, the dealer deals a row of cards (face-down) to the center of the table. The number of cards in this row should be one less than the number of players.
Right after the deal is complete, players may discard no more than 3 cards from their hand, to be replaced with an equivalent number of cards by the dealer.
Players mutually agree upon an ante. After the deal, each player places their ante on top of each of the cards on the table, the last player places their ante on the table with no card beneath it.
THE PLAY
Once the antes have been placed play begins. Starting with the player to the left of the dealer, players take turns and can do one or more of the following things:
- Play a card or a set of cards of equal value face-up on the table. Once a player does this, players who follow and choose to play in the same manner must beat the previous play. This can be done by either playing a great number of cards or by playing the same number of cards but of a higher value. Cards rank A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 (low). Twos are wild and can represent any card from A to 4.
- Play a three (face-up) to the table. Threes are ranked by their suits: hearts (highest), diamonds, spades, and clubs (lowest).
- Discard 1 to 3 cards. These cards will be replenished by new cards once the round is complete.
- Pass and play next round.
Once each player has had their turn, the winner of that round is determined and players are dealt more cards (to replace cards played) as needed.
Start a new round. New rounds begin with the player to the left of the one who began in the previous round. The number of rounds played is equal to the number of players in the game. Each player, then, has the chance to start a round.
WINNING ROUNDS
If no threes are played, the player who plays the highest ranking set of cards wins that round. They grab an ante from the table and the card beneath it.
If someone plays a three, the reward is split between the winner (highest ranking set of cards) and the person who played the highest ranking suited three. The winner may choose either the ante or the card, the person who played the three takes what is left.
If the winner and the player of the highest suited three are the same person, they take both the ante and the card.
Once the winnings have been collected and/or divided, the dealer deals replacement cards as needed. Each player should have 5 cards at least, they may have more from their winnings.
If the deck is exhausted while replenishing hands, the dealer is to gather all the discarded cards – except threes – shuffle them and deal them out.
The winner of the game is the player who wins the most rounds.
REFERENCES:
this game was invented by Charles Pierce, if you have any questions about the function or idea behind the game, you may reach him at: crp33966@mchsi.com
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