SWOOP Card Game
SWOOP Card Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
162 Playing Cards, as follows: 3 decks, each containing 54 cards - 1 blue, 1 red & 1 green deck.
Each deck contains:
- 48 Number Cards - 4 sets of 1 to 12, in distinguishing alternating colors. Scoring points are shown in black text - One through Nine are 5 points, Ten through Twelve are 10 points.
- 6 SWOOP Cards, each worth 50 scoring points.
Scoring is fully described in a later section.
Set Up
Cards to Use
3 to 5 players: Only 2 of the colored decks are used (108 cards). Remove any deck of 54 same-colored cards (red, blue, or green) and set aside.
6 to 8 players: All three colored decks (162 cards) are used.
Note: Up to 12 people can play with the addition of a 4th, purple deck, which can be purchased at swoop-cards.com.
Decide Who Starts the Game
Select a player to start the first round. For each following round, the start of play moves clockwise (to the left) around the table.
Decide When the Game Ends
Option 1 - Once Around the Table: A game consists of 1 round for each player. Once each player has started a round, the game is over.
Option 2 - Predetermined Score: Keep playing rounds until a player reaches a predetermined score.
Suggestions:
- For 3 to 5 players, 350 to 500
- For 6 or more players, 250 to 350
Winning the Game
The player with the lowest score at the end of the game is the winner.
Starting Each Round
Shuffle the decks of cards together.
Quick Tip: Recommendation is to use a "wash shuffle" - spreading cards on the table and moving in circles to mix them up.
With cards shuffled, each player draws 19 cards as follows:
- Place 4 cards face down - without looking at them! These are the Mystery Cards.
- Place 4 more cards face up, one on top of each of the face down cards. These are the Board Cards.
- Hold 11 cards, ensuring other players do not see them. These are the Hand Cards.
Each player may draw any color combination of cards.
Quick Tip: Arrange Hand Cards in numerical order with SWOOP Cards placed at the far right or left.
Each player should have a setup of cards like the following (Board Card values are for example only):
- 4 Mystery Cards (face down)
- 4 Board Cards (face up)
- 11 Hand Cards (held in hand)
Set aside the remaining cards as they will not be used in the round. These are the Stack.
You are now ready to begin the round.
How to Play
Each player may play cards from their Board and/or from their Hand when it is their turn. Alternatively, a Mystery Card not covered by a Board Card can be played.
Play starts with the player selected to start the round. That player plays any single card or multiple matching cards from their Hand and/or their Board into the Center Pile.
Matching cards are those which have the same number value (1 to 12). Any single card, multiple matching cards, or a SWOOP Card can be played to start the game.
Quick Tip: Playing high numbers early is recommended, as they are increasingly difficult to play as the round progresses.
Play then proceeds to the next player.
The next player can play any single card or multiple matching cards with a number value equal to or less than the card(s) last played into the Center Pile.
Example: if a 9 was the last card(s) played, the player could play matching cards with a value of 1 through 9.
Players are not required to play all matching Hand and Board Cards.
Quick Tip: Figuring out how many matching cards to play and how many to keep is a key element to the strategy and fun involved when playing SWOOP.
When playing into the Center Pile, the player calls out the total number of matching cards now in the Center Pile.
Example: Two 4's are in the Center Pile. A player playing a third 4 into the Center Pile would call out "Three 4's".
SWOOP-ing the Center Pile
A SWOOP occurs when 4 or more of the same numbered cards are played into the Center Pile by a single player or consecutive players.
Example: A player plays two 4's into the Center Pile. The next player plays three 4's into the Center Pile. Because at least four 4's have been played consecutively, that player SWOOPs the Center Pile.
Playing a single SWOOP card automatically SWOOPs the Center Pile. Number cards cannot be played with SWOOP Cards.
Upon a SWOOP, the entire Center Pile is moved from the center of the table to the Stack and the player's turn continues. The player can again play any single card or multiple matching Hand and/or Board Cards, an uncovered Mystery Card, or a SWOOP Card.
A player may have multiple SWOOPs within a single turn.
Taking the Center Pile
A player must take the Center Pile if unable to play card(s) equal to or lower in value to the last card played to the Center Pile or a SWOOP Card.
When taking the Center Pile, the player must still "play" exactly one card so that all players can see it. That player then takes the entire Center Pile, included the card they just played, into their Hand, and their turn is over. The next player now has an empty Center Pile to which they can play any card or matching cards of their choice.
There is no limit to how many cards a player can have in their Hand.
Playing a Mystery Card
A player may play a Mystery Card that is not covered by a Board Card at the start of their turn or following a SWOOP. When a player turns over a Mystery Card, they MUST play it. If the value is higher than the last Center Pile card played, they must take the Center Pile.
When playing a Mystery Card, the player can also play any matching Board or Hand Cards.
Going Out
The round is over when a player has no remaining Hand, Board, or Mystery Cards.
Scoring
A game starts with each player having a score of zero (0) points.
For each round, the player who goes out gets zero (0) points. Each of the other players total the points of their remaining Hand, Board, and Mystery Cards using the point values printed on each card. These point totals get added to each player's running total score.
Points are as follows:
- Number Cards 1 to 9 = 5 points each
- Number Cards 10, 11 & 12 = 10 points each
- SWOOP Cards = 50 points each
For example, the following hand would result in 85 points: 10 pts. + 5 pts. + 5 pts. + 5 pts. + 50 pts. + 10 pts. = 85 pts. (The hand shown on the rulebook is a 10, a 5, an 8, an 8, a SWOOP Card and an 11.)
Support
Printable SWOOP Score Sheets and these game instructions can be downloaded at Swoop-Cards.com. Support: [email protected]. Get answers to most common questions at Swoop-Cards.com/faq.