31 card game is a fun, easy card game that is great for kids, teens, families and even adults. When I was in my later years of elementary school I was obsessed with this game. We would often play outside at recess; I can still feel the smile on my face when I would lay down my cards and announce”31.”
Since my early card playing days, I’ve run into people who call this game Blitz, Cad, Cadillac, Clinker and even Big Tonka.
Whatever you call this game, it’s easy to play and learn and great for anyone who can do simple addition. It’s a great addition to the card games party that includes the games Crazy Eights, Go Boom and Garbage.
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What You Need
To play 31, all you need is a standard deck of cards.
How to Play 31 Card Game
Each player is dealt 3 cards. The object is to get 31 pints OR to get the highest score.
On each turn, a player picks up either the top discarded card or one off the draw pile. The player then must choose a discard car, ending his turn. If a player thinks she has a high scoring hand, on her turn, she can knock–this is her whole turn. All other players have one last turn to better their hands. Players then show their cards, adding up their points. The player with the most points wins. If a player reaches 31 points, he immediately shows his cards declaring, “31.” He is the winner of that round.
Scoring 31 Card Game
The cards 2 to 9 are worth the number of points on the card. For example, a 3 is worth 3 points.
The 10, Jack, Queen, King are all worth 10 points each.
Aces are worth 11 points.
All cards must be in the same suit. If only two cards are in the suit of hearts, then the third one does not count. If you have three cards with three different suits, count the card with the most points.
3 of a kind: any three cards of the same number equals 30 pints. For example: three 2s = 30 points, three 9s = 30 points, three Aces = 30 points.
Adding wagers
To increase the fun, we sometimes like to add friendly wagers–we’ve used dimes, jelly beans, and candies. Each player starts with 3 candies. You can use Bing or Poker chips. At the start, of every round, every player puts in an ante of one (puts one candy in the middle). The player who wins the hand takes all the candy from the middle.
When a player is Out of candy, they are out of the game–unless someone deals them back in.
The game ends when only player has all the candy.
Adding candy that goes with a season or a holiday is a great way to bring holiday fun to the game. Play for Halloween candy or Easter eggs or candy canes.
The Last Call
31 is a fun, easy card game that teaches counting and trick taking. It’s easy to see why this is a classic game with so many names. It’s a treasure for sure.
If you ‘re looking for even more card fun, check out the games Go Boom, James Bond and Slapjack. Or find a new family favorite game in our Family Game Shelf shop where there is a ton of fun with seasonal and original games, check it out today.
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