Skipo- Hold'Em, Trash, Golf

Skip-bo has been an old time favorite of our family. It has morphed into a game that can be used for many other games.

The goal of Skip-bo is to get rid of all your cards on your stock pile by playing cards in numerical order 1 to 12. Here are the rules if you would like an overview.

One of my favorite things about this deck of cards is the many different games you can play.

Here are a few games I can remember. Would love to know if anyone else has a game they play with Skip-bo cards that's not listed below.

Hold 'Em

Played with Skip-bo cards

The cards are shuffled thoroughly.

The dealer deals everyone 4 cards and then places a card face up in the middle of the table to start the discard pile.

Everyone looks at his/her cards.

Playing

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

-The player has 3 options when playing, only 1 may be done in a turn:

1. Lay out a set in front of him/her.

2. Attack another player.

3. Discard a card and pick up a card.

-A set consists of two identical cards OR 1 number card and 1 wild (Skip-bo)

-When laying out a set it must be two cards. If the player has 3 of the same number he/she can only lay out 2.

-if a player already has a set laying out in front of him/her, then he/she will put the new set on top of the old set and turn the cards sideways so they create a cross. (keeping the sets separate)

-When attacking another player you can only attack the top set.

-To attack you lay out an identical number or wild card. The player being attacked then has the chance to defend his/her self by playing another identical card or wild. Attacking and defending continues until one can no longer go. If the attacker was the last person to play a card on the pile than he/she gets the top stack and adds it onto his/her stack. If the defender played the last card then he/she get to keep the set.

-At any time a player has less than 4 cards he/she can pick up from the draw pile bring their hand up to 4 cards. This is especially true when being attacked. After each attack a card maybe draw to replenish to 4 cards.

-When picking up a player can draw from either the draw pile or discard pile. However the player must take the top cards and many not draw more than what will make 4 cards in his/her hand. If a player needs to draw two cards he/she can draw one from each pile (discard, draw piles) if they so choose.

Then game ends when the draw pile is empty.

You want the points. Count your stack in front of you by following the scoring. The cards in your hands are nothing at the end of the game. Add them to the discard pile.

Scoring

Single digit cards are 5 points each

Double digit cards are 10 points

Skip-bo cards, which are the wild cards, are 20 points each

The object of the game is to have the most points. It can be played for a set amount of rounds or a set amount of points.

Trash (Skip-bo cards or Playing Cards)

This game is one of my favorites! Its simple and any age can play if they know their numbers.

Using Skip-bo cards makes it easier for players that are not as familiar with face cards in playing cards.

When using Skip-bo cards 1 deck can play up to 6 players.

Played with Skip-bo cards

-Shuffling the cards- We do the Amish Shuffle. Where you lay them on the table and "swirl" them around mixing them up. ;) Leaving them scattered in the center of the table and creating a hole in the middle for the discard pile.

-Each player randomly chooses 12 cards

-Players take turns turning up one card to start the discard pile for the player on their left

-The players arrange their cards in front of them face down in two rows of 6 cards, one row on top of the other

-All players randomly choose any 3 cards and turn them face up

-Players want to get the cards in order from 1-12. 1-6 is the top row and 7-12 is the bottom row.

-The object is to score the least amount of points and also try to get a complete set made each round. (A complete set is all cards flipped up with the numbers in their correct places.)

-Each round that a player gets the set, he/she plays with one less card. So the first time a player gets the set from 1-12 he/she then plays with just 11 cards and tries to get 1-11. Once they get the 1-11, then they play with 10 cards and so on. The less cards a player has, the less cards he/she can turn up

12-10 cards; players can turn up 3 cards at beginning of play

9-7 cards; players can turn up 2 cards at beginning of play

6-4 cards; players can turn up 1 cards at beginning of play

3-1 cards; players can turn up 0 cards at beginning of play

-Fast play is allowed. So if a player picks up a card they can use, like a 6, the card that was at the 6 position might be a 12. You can then use that 12 in the 12 position if you do not have a 12 there already. You can keep playing fast until you turn up a card that you already have in the correct position.

-Skip-bo’s are wild. They can be moved around to the different positions. If you have a skip-bo in the 5 position and receive a 5, then put the 5 down in that spot and move the skip-bo to another spot that is not filled yet. Since a skip-bo will always be the correct number in its spot it is never worth any points at the end of the round.

-Rounds are played until everyone except the last player has gotten down to 0 cards.

-Cards are scored at face value for each one that is NOT in the correct position. The person with the lowest points is the winner.

-Once a player has worked down to 0 sets then they no longer play and the other players continue. This can give a big advantage to that player. They might not have the lowest points at the time that they finish however, they do not continue getting points as the other players keep playing, so the other players can easily pass them in points.

If you don't have Skip-bo cards but have playing cards, this game can also be played with playing cards. TRASH using playing cards. The rules are slightly different to accommodate the number of cards for the playing cards. But the point of the game is the same.

Golf (Skip-bo card rules)

This game has a lot of different versions and house rules of playing. But here is the one that we use. There is a link a the bottom that will take you to the playing card version rules.

-The dealer deals 12 cards to every player and turns one card up to start the discard pile. (or you can use the Amish Shuffle described in the TRASH rules.)

-The players arrange their cards in front of them face down in two rows of 6 cards, one row on top of the other

-All players randomly choose any 3 cards and turn them face up

· The object is to score the least amount of points in each column and in turn have the lowest score possible

Scoring

7, 11, & skip-bo's = 0 pts (to help you remember that 7 and 11 are 0 points- think of the Slurpee at 7/11)

All other cards = face value

2 identical cards in a column = 0 pts

4 identical cards in 2 columns (that are beside each other) = -20 pts

6 identical cards in 3 columns (that are beside each other) = -30 pts

A block of 12’s (4 identical cards in 2 columns (that are beside each other)) = -50 pts

Playing

-Player to the dealers left goes first

-He/she has the option of picking up the top card of the discard pile or picking one up from the draw pile

-The player then has the option of exchanging the card with one of the twelve in front of him or discarding it to the discard pile

-When exchanging a card the player must discard the card that was previously in that spot, it can not be exchanged for a card in another spot

-When a player has turned up their last card everyone else has 1 last turn and then the round ends.

-All the players add their score together

-Once a player has attained a predetermined (decided before the game starts) amount of points, such as 100 the game ends. The person with the lowest score wins.

Variation

Fast play-When exchanging a card the player can use the card that is flipped up if it matches a card laying face up already. However you can only lay the card above or below the matching card.

Playing Cards Version/Rules