Gyles Brandreth's 300 Jokes Series: Knock Knock!

Game One for two players. The winning player is (he first to win an agreed number of cards by correctly giving the punchline to one of the jokes on the card.

Shuffle the cards and place them joke side up in the centre. Player one is the Joke Teller and asks player two one of the jokes from the top card. The card is won by giving the correct punchline, If the correct punchline is not given the card is placed to the bottom of the pack. Player two is then the Joke Teller and asks player one a joke on the next card. Play continues like this until one player wins the agreed number of cards.

Game Two: FIVE CARD TRICK for two or more players plus a Joke Teller. The winning player is the first to win five cards. The Joke Teller shuffles the pack and draws the top card. The player seated on the left of the Joke Teller goes first and begins by choosing any number between one and six. The Joke Teller then reads out that joke. If the first player can supply the correct purchline he wins the card. If he cannot supply the punchline or offers an incorrect punchline, the player to his left is given the chance to answer. If that player gives the correct punchline he wins the card. If he fails then the player to his left is given a chance and so on round the group. When the correct punchline has been given, the player who gave it is awarded the card, or when no correct punchline has been given, the card is placed at the bottom of the pack. It is then the second player's turn. He chooses any number between one and six and the Joke Teller reads out the joke. The process is repeated until one player has won five cards. That player is the winner.

Game Three: JOKERS WILD for three to six players. The winner is the player with most cards at the end of the game. The cards are shuffled and placed in the middle of the players. Player No 1 picks the top card and reads out a joke on the card. If one of the other players thinks he knows the punchline,that player shouts out “Joker!” and gives the punchline. If the punchline given is correct that player wins the card. If it is incorrect the card is placed at the bottom of the pack and the player who gave the wrong punchline misses one round which means that he cannot give the punchline to the next joke even if he knows it. It is then the turn of Player No 2 to pick a card from the pack and read out a Joke. The process is repeated round and round the group until all the cards have been won, and the player with most cards is the winner. A player cannot offer a punchline to a joke he is reading out himself. If two players shout “Joker!” at exactly the same moment the younger of the players gets to offer the punchline.

For a variation on the three games try the following: even if a player gives an incorrect punchline, the Joke Teller may award that player the card if they decide that the alternative punchline given is clever or funny enough.