Afrikan tähti korttipeli
Afrikan tähti korttipeli Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Number of Players and Rounds
- 2–5 players can take part.
- Five rounds are played unless the players agree otherwise.
Card Identification
The number determines a card's value. The country colour and the place name on a card have no meaning, except in solitaire. The same number appears on four different cards; the Afrikan Tähti and the thief appear on one card each.
The value cards are:
- Diamonds: besides the Afrikan Tähti, the diamond cards are the ruby (13), the emerald (12) and the topaz (11).
- Horseshoe: the horseshoe (A) is the ace card and has value 14. In solitaire it is also a one.
- Thief: a thief card can seize all other cards except the Afrikan Tähti.
- Afrikan Tähti: the Afrikan Tähti is naturally the highest card in the game.
- Lion: the lion card is, besides being a two, a privateer card. The lion devours all cards lower than a diamond.
Deal
Each player is dealt four cards. The deck is placed in the middle of the table. A new card must always be taken from the deck in place of each card played.
The Pot
The player to the dealer's left plays a card of their choice next to the deck, face up. This is the opening card of the "pot". Each player then plays, in turn, a card on top of the pot that is higher than the card before it.
If You Cannot Play a Higher Card
If there is no higher card, or you do not want to play one, you must take a thief marker as a penalty. After that, place a smaller card under the pot.
After a Value Card Is in the Pot
The rule changes once a value card, meaning a card higher than ten, is in the pot. From then on, no thief marker is taken even if no higher card is played. Nor is a smaller card placed under the pot. The player simply says "pass", and the turn passes to the next player.
Taking the Pot
When all other players have passed, the player who played the highest card takes the whole pot as their haul. That player then opens a new pot.
The Lion
A lion card may, if the player wishes, take the pot when the top card of the pot is a ten or a lower card. The lion cannot take the pot when the top card is a diamond.
End of a Round
When a player plays their last card, the round is over for that player. The others continue. If only one player still has cards, the whole round ends on that player's turn to play. The rest of that player's cards are set aside.
Scoring
- Afrikan Tähti = 3 points
- Thief, horseshoe and diamond = 2 points each
- All other cards = 1 point each
Two points are deducted for each thief marker. (The simplest way is to remove a corresponding number of cards before counting points.) If a player's haul is not enough to redeem their thieves, the thieves are left in place and redeemed after the next round.
Prizes
The winner of the round is given the horseshoe chip from the prize chips. The other players are given diamond chips, in order of their ranking within the round.
- If any player has scored more than 40 points, that player is also given an extra topaz.
- A player with no points at all does not receive a prize.
- If there are more players than prizes, the last player goes without.
Prize Values
- 2 topazes = 1 emerald
- 2 emeralds = 1 ruby
- 2 rubies = 1 horseshoe
Between rounds, two identical diamonds may be exchanged for one more valuable diamond. This way the state of the game is always easy to see at a glance.
Winner
When all five rounds have been played, the winner of the whole game is the player who has collected the most valuable prize haul. If two players have haul of equal value, unredeemed thieves count as minus points. Otherwise the order is decided by drawing lots.
Examples of Game Situations
- A player cannot play a higher card onto the pot. They must take a thief marker as a penalty. After that, they place their smallest card at the bottom of the pot.
- The player again has no higher card. Because a value card is already in the pot, they do not take a penalty marker and do not place a smaller card under the pot. They simply say "pass", and the turn passes to the next player.
- A player can choose whether to play the topaz (11) or the ruby (13) on top of a ten, or to take the pot with a lion card. The lion is, besides a two, a privateer card with which the pot can be taken when its top card is a ten or lower.
- Now it is worth playing the emerald (12). If the others have no higher card to play and they pass, the player gets the pot. Otherwise, the player gets the pot on their next turn with the Afrikan Tähti.
Solitaire Rules
Place one card face up on the table. It is the opening card of the first row. Take two cards in hand, and always draw a new card in place of each card played. Then, following the instructions below, try to make one of the two cards fit into a row.
Whenever neither card fits, you must start a new row next to the existing ones. The aim is to get all cards onto the table so that as few rows as possible are formed.
Solitaire always comes out ("läpi"), but the result varies:
- 1 row = incredible
- 2 rows = brilliant
- 3 rows = good
- 4 rows = satisfactory
- 5 rows = weak
When the Afrikan Tähti comes into your hand, you may move the row of your choice onto the end of another row. This reduces the number of rows by one. (First set the Afrikan Tähti aside and draw a new card in its place. This makes your choice easier.)
If you receive the Afrikan Tähti when there is only one row on the table, you may continue this same row even if your card does not fit it. If your card does fit, you may save this advantage for later.
If you wish, you may also play solitaire in an easier way: instead of two cards, always keep three cards in hand.
How Cards Fit Together
- The same number.
- A number one higher or one lower.
- A place name beginning with the same letter (note: V-W).
- For place names of two or three parts, you may choose the initial letter of any part.
- The lion is a two, but it also fits any number of the same country.
- The thief fits all cards, and any card may be played on top of it.
- The horseshoe is always either a one or a fourteen.