When we reviewed the Simon Swipe card game, I thought it might be fun to make a variation of that game with regular playing cards. And the card game Hay Stacks was born.
Over the years, I’ve created a lot of games, mostly dice games like Volcano, Zebra Races and Save the Turtles. I have a few card games that I’ve created including Santa Uno and Christmas Shenanigans and the new Hay Stacks.
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You will need a deck of cards with the jokers removed and a score sheet.
The Cards
The first card that is special in Hay Stacks is the Ace. All aces are wild.
Next, all face cards are pick up cards.
Last, all other cards are the suit that shows on them.
Playing Hay Stacks Card Game
First, deal nine cards to all players. Next, the dealer will flip up the top card and place it beside the draw pile. When an ace is flipped over, then the dealer flips over another card. When a face card is flipped over, the suit is followed but no one has to pick up a card.
Now the fun can begin.
The first player needs to place a card that matches the first suit onto of the first pile. For example, if the 6 of clubs is the top card of the first pile, then she has to place any club card on top. When a face card is played, then she gets to choose a player to pick up a card off the draw pile. The player collects the card and adds it to his hand at that time.
Next, she can stop and play moves on. Or she can start a new pile beside the first pile. For example she can place down the two of hearts. Her turn is now over.
The player on her left now has to play a card on top of the first pile that matches, say the 3 of clubs and one on top of the second pile that matches it, say the queen of hearts (he would then get to choose a player to pick up a card.) He can now stop or add a new pile. For example, he places the 8 of spades.
Now the next player needs to add a card to the club pile, then the heart pile and the spade pile to be able to add another pile. The pile doesn’t have to be diamonds; if she has more clubs than anything else, she could make the pattern clubs, heart, spades, clubs.
When a player places a face card, then he gets to pick a player to draw a card and add it to her hand. Cards are picked up right away and the game continues.
When a player is unable to play on the first card, she has three options.
First, she can play an ace and then play another card on top to change the suit. She can then continue the pattern.
Second, she can change the suit by place the card that matches the number on the card. For example, if the 10 of clubs is up, she could place the 10 of spades on it, changing the pile to spades.
Third, if she has no cards that match and no wild cards, she must pick up a card off the draw pile. If the card is playable, she can play. On the other hand, if isn’t playable, then her turn is over.
When a player is unable to play on any other card in the pattern, then the player can choose to draw a card or end his turn.
Winning Hay Stacks Card Game
The player who plays all of their cards first is the winner.
All Hay Bailed Up
Hay Stacks is a different type of card game that younger kids will love. It makes a nice, light game with no counting, simple strategy and fun game play.
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