The Cave

Free game published in the April 2018 (GTM #218) issue of Game Trade Magazine.

The game utilizes the Series: Pairs Game System (Cheapass Games) game system and is designed with the Deadfall Deck, though it can be played with any Pairs deck.

Background: Welcome to The Cave, a mysterious dungeon filled with dangerous monsters! In ‘The Cave,” you will play cards from your hand into the dungeon, trying to defeat the monsters and bring home their treasure.

Equipment: A Pairs deck and a way to keep score.

To Begin: Shuffle the deck and deal a hand of cards to each player. The number of cards in the starting hand varies with the number of players, as follows:

Players: 2 3 4 5 6 Cards: 7 6 5 5 4

Next, deal the “Cave,” a collection of five cards face up in the center of the table. Play will start on the dealer’s left and proceed clockwise.

On Your Turn: You will play one card from your hand into the Cave. This card will capture one or more cards from the Cave, as follows:

If there are lower cards in the cave, your card captures the card(s) of the value that is closest beneath it. For example, if the board is 4-7-7-8-9, and you play an 8, you will capture both 7s.

If no cards in the Cave are lower than your card, you capture all cards of the highest rank (even if that rank matches your card). For example, if the Cave is 4-5-7-9-10, and you play a 4 (or lower), you will capture the 10.

The card you played goes into the Cave. Set aside your captured cards, to be scored at the end of the round.

Refilling the Cave: If the Cave has fewer than five cards, refill it from the deck. If the deck is ever empty, the Cave does not refill, but play continues.

Scoring the Round: Play until everyone has emptied their hand. Then score the game as follows:

For each rank, the player who captured the most cards of that rank scores one point for each. Players with fewer cards in that rank do not score.

For example, if someone captured three 10s, and no one else had more 10s, then that player would get 3 points. If two or more players are tied for the most cards, they each score full points.

Record your score after each round, and play one round for each player, passing the deal to the left. Then the player with the highest total score wins the game.