LOOP

How well can you play the same cards as someone else?

In the first round of LOOP, each player receives a hand of eleven cards from a deck of three suits, with each suit having cards numbered 1-15. They each choose two cards to set aside face down.

The lead player starts the first trick by laying down a single card, a pair of the same number, or two or more consecutive cards of the same suit. The next players in turn must play a higher matching combination of cards or pass, although a player who passes can re-enter the trick later. Once everyone passes, the player who won the trick leads again. (Note that all played cards stay in front of who played them.)

If a player lays down an 8, whether alone or in combination, everyone else must pass, then this player leads a new trick. If a player runs out of cards, they score points based on how many players still have cards in hand, and play continues until all but one player goes out.

The last player then takes over a player’s seat: first in a two-player game, second in a three-player game, and first or second in a four-player game (with the third player then taking the other option). After moving to their new locations, players then take the eleven cards in front of them, discard two, then play the round again. If the player in the fourth seat can do better than fourth, they score points — lots of points if they come in first. Along the same lines, if the player in the first seat does poorly, they lose points.

If a player has set aside an 8 in their two cards, they can declare “どんでん” (donden = revolution) by revealing the card on their turn. Now 1s are the high cards and 15s the low ones for the remainder of the round.

Play multiple rounds until a player has reached the point threshold, which is based on the player count.

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