Chase the Ace
One card each. Keep it or swap it to your left, hide behind a king, and don’t be left holding the lowest. 3–8 players.
Also known as Ranter-Go-Round and Screw Your Neighbor.
How to play Chase the Ace
- 1Everyone starts with three lives and gets one card, face down. Aces are lowest and kings are highest. At the end of each round, whoever holds the lowest card loses a life.
- 2Starting on the dealer's left, each player in turn either keeps their card or swaps it, unseen, with the player on their left. You can't refuse a swap, so a bad card can land on you before your turn comes.
- 3A king stops a swap: if you hold one, you show it and the player trying to swap with you keeps their card. A king never leaves its owner.
- 4The dealer goes last and, instead of swapping with a player, may trade their card for the top card of the deck.
- 5Then everyone shows their card. Everyone tied for lowest loses a life, unless all the cards tie. Lose your third life and you're out; the last player with a life left wins.
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