Game Night: Thirty-One

Join us for a fast-paced, fun game of Thirty-One! In this classic card game, players compete to get the highest hand total of 31 or close to it, using strategy and luck to outwit their opponents. With quick rounds and plenty of opportunities to steal the win, it’s the perfect game for both seasoned card players and newcomers looking for some excitement. Gather your cards, place your bets, and see if you have what it takes to be the last player standing!

This gathering is all about having a good time, whether you’re aiming for the win, just looking for a few laughs, or would rather simply watch the game unfold. Everyone’s welcome, and indeed, the more the merrier.

Instructions

Points and Scoring

The goal is pretty simple; get as close as you can to a score of 31, but there’s a catch! Your limitations are that you can only have three cards in your hand, and only cards of the same suit count. Aces are 11, Faces are 10, and everything else is face value!

(e.g. 3♠ Q♠ 8♥ = 13 points)

The one exception to the suit rule is if you get three of a kind, no matter what they are, that counts as 30.5 points automatically.

(e.g. 2♦ 2♥ 2♣ = 30.5 points)

General Gameplay

Everyone starts the game with five stars in front of them. You loose a star when you have the lowest score at the end of the round, tie for the lowest score, or someone else scores 31. The last player with at least one star is the winner.

Each player gets a hand of three cards, and gameplay progresses clockwise. There are three modes, but in each mode you have the following options on your turn:

• Knock on the table to end the round, every player gets one more exchange.
  • If someone knocks and also loses, they must part with two stars.
• Exchange a card from your hand with one on the table.
• Pass and do nothing, but only after someone has knocked.
• Take 3 and completely swap your hand with the table (except in Blitz Mode)

A round can end in two ways:

• One cycle after someone knocks the round will end and the lowest scoring player(s) loose a star.
• When anyone scores 31 the round ends immediately, and everyone who is not the winner looses a star.
• When the deck runs out the round ends and no one loses any stars (Blitz Mode only).

36 Card Mode

The dealer gets to see the initial three cards first, and they can either:

• Keep the hand and deal out three new cards for the table, or
• Change their hand by placing those on the table and drawing three new cards for themselves.

When exchanging cards you can choose from any of the three cards on the table individually, or swap your entire hand with the table.

52 Card Mode

This mode works exactly the same as the 36 Card Mode, with one added bonus: In addition to the cards visible, you can also draw a random card from the deck, after which you chose a card from your hand to discard over one of the face up cards.

This has the added bonus of allowing you to keep your original hand if you chose to by discarding the drawn card.

Blitz Mode

In this mode the dealer does not get to chose their hand at the start.

Additionally, there is only one card displayed on the table, but you can still draw from the deck and chose to discard any card, including it.