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Official Kings in the Corner Rules

Kings in the Corner is a multiplayer card game that combines elements of solitaire and traditional card games. The goal is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards. Here are the detailed rules for playing Kings in the Corner:

Equipment

1 Standard 52-Card Deck: No jokers included.

Setup

Right card: East Bottom card: South Left card: West

  • Determine the Dealer:Choose a dealer by any method (e.g., high card draw).

  • Deal the Cards:The dealer shuffles the deck and deals seven cards to each player.

  • Set Up the Board:Place the remaining deck face down in the center as the draw pile.

    Draw four cards from the draw pile and place them face-up in a cross formation around the draw pile

Gameplay

  1. Starting the Game:

    • The player to the left of the dealer goes first and play continues clockwise.

  2. Player's Turn:

    • On your turn, draw one card from the draw pile.

    • You can then make any legal moves to play your cards onto the layout:

      • Playing on Foundation Piles: Place cards on the four foundation piles (N, E, S, W) in descending order and alternating colors (e.g., red 10 on black Jack).

      • Starting New Piles with Kings: Kings can be placed in the corner spaces around the four foundation piles to start new piles. Corner piles follow the same descending order and alternating color rules.

      • Moving Cards: You can move entire piles within the layout if the move follows the descending order and alternating color rules. For example, if there's a red 9 on a black 10, you can move the whole pile to another black Jack.

    • If you play all cards from your hand, the round ends, and you score points.

Winning the Game

  • The round continues until one player gets rid of all their cards.

  • The player who goes out first scores zero points, and all other players score points based on the cards left in their hands:

    • Face cards (J, Q, K) = 10 points each

    • Number cards (2-10) = Face value points

    • Aces = 1 point

  • End of the Round:

    • Shuffle all cards, redeal, and start a new round.

    • Continue playing rounds until a player reaches an agreed-upon point total (commonly 100 points). The player with the lowest score wins the game.

Notes/Variations

  • Multiple Plays: You can make multiple legal plays during your turn as long as you can follow the rules for each move.

  • Strategy: Aim to get rid of high-value cards (face cards and 10s) early to avoid high scores in case another player goes out.

  • Blocking: Use your moves strategically to block other players from playing their cards if possible.

Kings in the Corner is an engaging card game that requires strategy, attention to detail, and a bit of luck. Perfect for family game nights or casual gatherings, it’s easy to learn and fun to play.

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