Split
Split Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
101 cards (numbered 0 - 100)
Before You Begin
Shuffle all the cards and deal 7 cards face down to each player. The dealer then takes an extra two cards. Place the remaining cards face down and lay them aside to create a draw pile.
The Cards
Standard Cards
Wild/Reverse Cards (see Wild/Reverse Cards below).
Goal of the Game
To be the first player to discard all of their cards.
How to Play
The dealer selects the highest and lowest Standard card out of their hand and places them face up with their value showing in the centre of the table. They should lie far enough apart so that players can slide a card between them. These two cards create the two Split piles. The space between them is where cards will be played. The player to the dealer's left goes first and play continues clockwise.
You can only play a card with a number that is between the numbers on the two Split piles OR a Wild card (see Wild/Reverse Cards). If you cannot play any card from your hand, you have to reset the game (see Resetting the game):
The next player will have the choice to move the middle card either to the left or the right Split pile before playing one card from their hand in between the two Split piles ending their turn.
TIP: You will end your turn with one more card than you started your turn with, but it's a great way to get rid of a very high and/or a very low card.
If you do not have enough Standard cards to restart both Split piles, place a card on the bottom of the draw deck and pick up a new card. Repeat as necessary until there are 2 Standard Split piles.
Cheating on a Reset
If a player is caught cheating on a reset by not playing their highest and/or lowest Standard cards, a player can call them on it and 5 cards will be added to their hand as a penalty.
Wild/Reverse Cards
0, 1, 99, 100 and all numbers that end in a 0 are Wild cards which reverse the direction of play. You can play any Wild card between any numbers showing on the Split piles. The next player will now be the player to your right who gets to select whether to place the Wild card on the left or the right. The number on the Wild card will now become the number on that Split pile. Each time a Wild card is played, the direction of play will be reversed again. (Ignore the Reverse rules in a 2-player game.)
Who Wins?
When a player plays their last card the game is over and they've won! You cannot end a game with a Wild card. If your last card is a Wild card you must reset the game.
Resetting the Game
On your turn, you can choose to reset the game by discarding all the cards on the table (creating a face up discard pile) and picking up 3 new cards from the draw pile to add to your hand. You then restart the game by selecting the highest and lowest Standard cards from your hand and starting two new Split piles. Play continues as if you were starting a new game.
Cooperative Play
Ages 8+, 3-5 Players
Set Up
Remove the 0 and 100 cards from the deck and place them face up to the side of the playing area. Shuffle and deal 7 cards face down to each player. The dealer takes an extra two cards.
Goal of the Game
For all players to get rid of all their cards before anyone is forced to reset.
How to Play
The dealer will create the two Split piles by selecting the highest and lowest Standard card out of their hand. Once the dealer has placed the two starting cards on the table, the player to the dealer's left goes first. Just as in the regular game, that player plays a card with a number that is between the numbers on the two Split piles and the next player will have the choice to move the middle card either to the left or the right Split pile before playing a card from their hand. If ever a reset is required, the game is over.
Players can ask the other players for advice on which way a card should be moved, but players must never answer with specific numbers. Phrases like "I need to stay in the blue numbers" or "I'd like to keep it low" are great ways to communicate with your fellow players.
Using the 0 or 100
Instead of using a card out of your hand (or if you can't play a card from your hand), you can choose to pick up the 0 or 100 card and play that. Place it in between the Split piles as if it came from your hand and end your turn.
Who Wins?
If all players can play their cards before a reset is required, all players win! Players cannot end their hand with a Wild card as this resets the game.
Want a more challenging game? Try to get rid of all cards without using one or both of the 0 or 100 cards!