The Players, the Cards and the Objective
The game works best with from 2 to 4 players, though in theory more
could take part. It has the distinction of being one of the few games
which will deal out evenly to two, three, or four players. Four players
can play in partnerships, two against two, with partners sitting
opposite each other.
A regular 52 card deck is used. Each numeral card (ace-ten) is counted
as its numerical value (ace = 1, two = 2, etc). The aim is to capture
cards from a layout on the table, by playing a card from hand which
matches in number a table card or the sum of several table cards.
Picked up cards are accumulated in a pile to be counted at the end of
the round.
The Deal
The dealer deals four cards to each player and four cards face up in the
centre (these centre cards are laid out separately so that all are
visible). Traditionally, the deal is in twos: two cards to each other
player, two to the table, then two to the dealer, then repeat. However,
some players prefer to deal the cards singly. The remainder of the deck
is temporarily put aside. After everyone has played their four cards,
another hand of four cards is dealt to each player from the remaining
cards, but no more cards are dealt to the table after the first deal.
After these cards have been played there is another deal, and this
continues until all 52 cards have been dealt (this takes 6 deals for 2
players, 4 deals for three players, 3 deals for 4 players). The dealer
must announce "last" when dealing the last cards. After the last cards
have been played and the hand scored, the deal passes to the left for
the next round.
The Play
Starting with the player to the left of the dealer and continuing
clockwise, each player in turn must play one card out from hand face up
on the table. This card may or may not capture one or more cards from
the table.
- In case of a capture, when the other players have had an opportunity
to see the capturing card, the player picks up this card and the
captured cards and stores them all face down in a pile.
- If there is no capture the played card remains face up on the table.
Irrespective of whether a capture was made or not, the turn passes to the next player.
In detail, the possible types of play are as follows:
- 1. Capturing with a face card
- If the card played is a face card (king, queen or jack) which
matches the rank of a face card on the table, the face card on the table
may be captured. This is the only possible capture with a face card. If
the table contains more than one matching card only one may be
captured.
Example:The
Q and 
Q are on the table, and the 
Q is played. The player may capture one of the queens from the table but not both.
- 2. Capturing with a numeral card
- A numeral card (Ace, 2, ..., 10) can capture any numeral cards
on the table which are of the same rank as the card played, and any sets
of numeral cards which add up to the rank of the card played, with the
following restrictions:
- cards which are part of a build (see below) can only be captured by a card of the rank announced for that build;
- when sets are captured, each captured card can only be counted as belonging to one such set.
Example If an eight is played it could capture one, two
or three eights from the table. It could also capture a five and a
three, or a four and two twos. If the following cards are on the table: A 2 3 5 6 8, then an eight could capture 8 6 2 5 3 or 8 5 2 A, but not all six cards.
- 3. Building
- A numeral card may be played and combined with other cards on the table, placing them together to form a build.
A build can be made out of any collection of numeral cards which can be
captured by a single numeral card according to rule 2 above. The player
making the build must announce the capturing number (saying, for
example, "building 5"), and must hold a numeral card which can later
make the capture. There are two types of build: single builds and multiple builds.
- A single build consists of two or more cards whose capture
values add up to the capture value of the build - for example a 5-build
made of a 2 and a 3, or a 10-build made of A-4-5.
- A multiple build consists of two or more cards or sets
of cards, each of which equates to the capture value of the build - for
example a 5-build made of a 2 and a 3 plus a 4 and an ace, or a 5-build
made of A-4 and 5, or a 9-build made of two nines, or a 9-build made of
6-3 plus 5-4 plus 9.
When you make a build, it must include the card you just played - you
cannot create a build consisting entirely of cards that were already on
the table. Cards which have been made into a build can subsequently only
be captured as a unit, never separately.
Examples
- If there is a 5 on the table, a player holding a 3 and an 8 may put
the 3 on the 5 and announce "building 8"; this single build can now only
be captured by an 8.
- If there is an ace and a two on the table, a player holding two threes and a six could play one of the threes and either:
- capture the two and the ace;
- combine the played three with the ace and the two and make a single build, announcing "building 6";
- combine the played three with the ace and the two and make a multiple build, announcing "building 3";
It would not be legal to play the three on the ace, building four, or on
the two, building five, as the player does not hold a four or a five.
- 4. Capturing a build
- A build can be captured by playing a numeral card of the rank
which was announced when the build was made. It is thus possible to
"steal" a build created by another player, if you have the right numeral
card.
- If on your turn, the table contains a build which you created
or added to yourself, and no other player has added to it since your
last turn, you are not allowed simply to trail a card (as in rule 6) on
your next turn. You must either make a capture of some
kind, create another build, or add to a build (i.e. follow rule 3, 4 or
5). It is always possible to capture in this situation - if nothing
else, you must hold the capturing card for the build you just made,
otherwise your build was illegal.
- If there is a build on the table, and you were the last player
to add a card to this build, you are not allowed to play so as to leave
yourself with no card equal to the value of this build.
- While capturing a build, you can also capture any loose cards
on the table that add up to the same number. For example you have made a
build of 9 and there is a 5 on the table. If the player before you
plays a 4, you can capture the 4 and the 5 at the same time that you
take in your build.
- It is not possible to capture a build with a card of any other
rank than that announced for the build. For example the table contains a
4 and a 3 combined into a build of 7, plus a separate 2. You cannot
play a 9 to take the build of 7 plus the 2 - the build can only be
captured with a 7.
- 5. Adding to a build
- There are two ways of adding to a build:
- You may add a card from your hand to a single build,
increasing the capturing number, provided that you also hold a card
which will capture the new build. At the same time you may incorporate
additional cards from the table into the build, if they are equal to the
new capturing number. In this case the build will become multiple. You
can never use a card from the table to change the value of a single
build.
Example A The table contains a build consisting of two threes, announced as a build of six.
If you hold a two and an eight, you can add the two to the build
announcing "building 8". The next player, holding an ace and a nine,
could then add the ace and say "building 9".
The capturing number of a multiple build can never be changed. If the original build of two threes in the above example had been announced as building three (rather than building six), it would not
be possible for a player holding a two and a five to add the two to the
build, making five, not for a player holding a two and an eight to add
the two making eight.
Example B The table contains an ace, a two and a four; the ace and the four have been combined by a previous player into a build of five.
You hold a three, an eight and a ten. You can play your three onto the
single five-build and announce "building eight", but you are not allowed to incorporate the two from the table into this build to make it a build of ten.
Example C The table contains a three and a four, built
into a seven, and a separate nine. You hold a two and a nine. You can
play your two, combining it with the seven-build to make nine, and at
the same time incorporate the nine on the table into the build,
converting it to a multiple build and saying "building nine".
- You may add to any build, single or multiple, by playing a
card from your hand which, either alone or combined with other cards on
the table which are not yet in builds, matches the existing capture
number of the build, provided that you hold a card which can capture the
combined build.
Example The table contains a 9-build consisting of a 5
and a 4, and there is also a 3 on the table. You hold a six and two
nines. You can play your 6, combining it with the 3 and the existing
build to make a new multiple build of 9. Then on your next turn
(provided that no one else captured) you could add one of the nines from
your hand to the build. Finally, on the following turn, you could
capture the whole build with your second nine.
Note that when making or adding to a build, you must contribute a card
to it from your hand. You cannot just combine various cards which are
already on the table to form a build. Note also that once a build
contains more than one card or sets of cards which add to the capturing
number, it is a multiple build and the capturing number can no longer be
changed.
Example. There is a multiple 8-build of 3-5-8 on the table, and
there is also a loose 6 on the table. In your hand you have 2, 8, 8, 10.
You may add one of your 8s to the build, making 3-5-8-8, or to add your
2 together with the 6 on the table, making 3-5-8-2-6, still with
capture value 8. You cannot use your 2 to change the capture value to
10.
- 6. Trailing
- If you simply play a card without building or capturing, the
card is placed face up on the table alongside any other layout cards and
remains there to be captured or built on in future. It is then the next
player's turn. Playing a card without building or capturing is
sometimes called trailing. You are allowed to trail a card even if that card could have made a capture.
- Example Suppose that in a four player
partnership game your partner has two tens and you have one. Your
partner plays a 10 and the next player does not take it. On your turn,
if you suspect that your partner has a second 10, you can play your 10
and not capture, leaving both tens on the table for your partner.
- The only case in which trailing is not allowed is when there is a build on the table which you were the last player to add to.
When all the cards have been played in the final deal, the last player
who made a capture also wins any cards which are left on the table
(these cards are sometimes known as the
residue). That is why it is important that the dealer should announce "last" when dealing the last cards.
Hint on tactics: it is often good for the dealer to
hold back a face card to play last if possible; this will capture a
matching face card on the table and thereby also win any other table
cards that remain.
Scoring
Each player (or team) counts their score based on the pile of cards they
have won. There are eleven possible points in each hand:
- whoever has the Most Cards gets three points;
- whoever has Most Spades is one point;
- each Ace is worth one point (capturing an ace with another ace is called "cash" by some players)
- the ten of diamonds, called Big Casino or the Good Ten, is worth two points;
- the two of spades, called Little Casino or the Good Two, is worth one point.
If there is a tie for most cards or most spades, no one gets those points.
Whoever first reaches a total of 21 or more points, over however many
rounds it takes, wins the game. If two people reach the target on the
same round, whoever has the higher score wins. If there is a tie,
another round is played.
Variations
Building Rules
Building is the most intricate part of the game, and there are several
variations in exactly what is allowed when creating or capturing builds,
and many of the card game books are ambiguous on this point. Some
people play by more permissive rules, for example:
- Some players allow a player to trail a card and simultaneously make a
build by combining other cards on the table, not including the card
played.
- Some players allow a player who has a build on the table simply to trail a card on subsequent turns, leaving the build in place.
- Some players allow cards from the table to be used to help
increase the value of a single build, provided that a card from your
hand is also used to increase the value. In this variation, in Example B
under rule 5 above, it would be legal when playing your 3 on the
5-build to incorporate the 2 from the table as well, making a single
build of 10. On the other hand, if there was a 6-build and a 3 on the
table and you had two nines in your hand, it would not be legal to
combine one of your nines with the six-build and the three to make a
multiple build of nines, because when changing the value of a build, the
card you play from your hand has to contribute to the change of value.
- Some players treat a single build exactly like a single card of
the same value, for the purpose of capturing it or extending the build.
For example, if there is a build of 6 (5+A) on the table and a loose 4,
a player who holds a 10 can capture the 6-build and the 4, and a player
who holds two 10's can combine one 10 from hand with the 6-build and
the 4 to make a multiple 10-build.
Sweeps
Many people play that a
Sweep is worth one point. A sweep
occurs when a player takes all the cards from the table, leaving it
empty and forcing the next player to trail. Some players call this a
clear.
When making a sweep, the capturing card is stored face-up in the pile
of won cards, so that the number of sweeps can be checked when scoring.
It is possible to make a sweep with the last card of the final deal if
it captures all the cards on the table, but if it does not, taking the
remaining cards from the table because you made the last capture does
not count as a sweep.
Scoring
Other targets for winning the game are possible:
- Some play to 11 points. In a two player game (or a 4-player game
with partners), in each round the player with more points scores the
difference between the points made by the two players or sides.
- Some play to 50 points.
Some people, instead of scoring three points for cards, award two points
to the player with most cards and one point to the player who made the
last capture during the game.
Some play that when deciding the overall winner, if both players reach
the target score in the same round, the points are counted in order:
cards, spades, big casino, little casino, aces (in the order spades,
clubs, hearts, diamonds), sweeps (in order of occurrence).
Some players, when approaching the target score, count the points
as they are earned - each sweep as it happens, aces, big and little
casino as they are captured, and spades or cards as soon as one player
has captured 7 or 27 of them respectively. In this case the play would
end as soon as a player correctly claims to have won by reaching the
target score (even if the opponent has in fact scored more but failed to
claim it). Some score sweeps as they happen, but the remaining points
in a specific order, with an agreed order of suits for the aces.
Royal Casino
As described in English and American books,
Royal Casino
differs from the standard game only in the use of the picture cards and
aces. Jacks have a capture value of 11, Queens 12, Kings 13 and Aces 1
or 14 at the discretion of the player. Picture cards and aces can
capture and be captured, and can be incorporated into builds in the same
way as other cards. For example, a Queen can capture a Five and a
Seven, or an Ace can capture a King and an Ace, counting the capturing
Ace as 14 and the captured Ace as 1.
Kasino in Finland
The game of Kasino which popular in Finland is similar to Royal
Casino, but normally played without building: so the only possibilities
are to capture or to trail (play a card that does not capture anything,
leaving it on the table. It is commonly played by 2 people, but 3 or 4
can also play. A 52-card pack is used and as usual the deal is 4 cards
each and 4 to the table, 2 at a time, with a further deal of 4 each when
the hands are exhausted.
- Kings have a capture value of 13, Queens 12, Jacks 11, 2-10 face value.
- An Ace has a capture value of 1 on the table, but 14 when played from hand. Therefore an Ace cannot capture a single Ace.
- The 2 (Small Kasino) has a capture value of 2 on the table, but 15 when played.
- The 10 (Big Kasino) has a capture value of 10 on the table but 16 when played.
The scoring is somewhat different from standard Casino, in that cards are worth less and spades are worth more:
- majority of cards: 1 point (not scored if there is a tie)
- majority of spades: 2 points (shared if there is a two-way tie in a 3- or 4-player game)
- each Ace: 1 point
- 2 (Small Kasino): 1 point
- 10 (Big Kasino): 2 points
That makes 10 points in each hand (if there are no ties). In addition
there is an extra point for each sweep, known in Finnish as a
mökki
(hut), and recorded by turning one card face up in the player's
captured card pile. If all players (or teams) have a sweep, they cancel
(each player/team loses one sweep). This can make a difference when
nearing the end of a game.
The first player to 16 points wins. For this purpose sweeps are
counted as they occur, so the game can finish in the middle of a hand.
The other points cannot be claimed until all the cards have been played.
The scores are then totalled and if any player has 16 or more the
player with the highest score wins. In case of a tie, Aces, Small and
Big Casino are counted first, then if there is still a tie, Spades are
counted, and finally cards.
Cristian Seres' Kasino page has rules, variations and some advice on Finnish Kasino.
Kasino in Sweden
A version of Royal Casino is also popular in Sweden. According to Dan Glimne's description in his
Kortspelshandboken,
this is a little different from the Finnish game. Aces have a capture
value of 1 or 14 at the choice of the player, Kings are 13, Queens 12,
Jacks 11 and 2-10 are always face value, with no special capture value
for the
2 or
10.
As in Finland there can be 2, 3 or 4 players. The scoring is the same except that there is an extra point (
sistan)
for the player who makes the last capture and thereby takes the
remaining cards from the table. Thus the total in the absence of ties
and sweeps is 11. A sweep is called a
tabbe and scores an extra point. The winner is the first player to reach 16 points or more, which can happen during the play.
Swazi Casino
This interesting version of Casino, which is popular in Swaziland, was
contributed by Jonathan Dushoff. The building process is different from
that of Anglo-American Casino. Captured cards are kept face up, and the
top card from your pile of captures can be taken by your opponents to
add to their builds.
Players, Cards and Deal
Swazi Casino is played by 2, 3 or 4 people using a standard 52 card
pack. The version for 3 or 4 players is described first. When there are
four players, the players sitting opposite each other are partners. The
usual direction of play is anticlockwise.
For the purpose of capturing, pip cards from 2 to 10 have their face
values, jacks count as 11, queens 12, kings 13 and aces 1 or 14.
The dealer shuffles the cards and the player to the dealer's right (who
will be the first to play) cuts four cards out of the middle of the
deck, and puts them face up in the centre of the playing area to form
the initial
layout, and returns the deck to the dealer
(who plays last). The dealer then deals out all of the cards to the
players, one at a time. The first dealer is chosen at random;
subsequently the deal passes to the right after each hand.
Some people have rules disallowing certain cuts. The game is rather
uninteresting if there are too many scoring cards in the layout at the
start. Also, when there are four players, the pair that plays first has a
big disadvantage at the end, which is balanced by their having the
first chance to capture at the beginning, but the benefit of making the
first move is reduced if too many big cards are cut. There are many
variations, but it is suggested that if the initial layout contains
either
- cards with a scoring value of three or more points (e.g. 10 and an ace), or
- three or more picture cards,
then the four cards should be put back in the pack, which is reshuffled and the cut repeated.
The play
All captured cards are kept
face up in a single pile in
front of the player who captured them. In the four-player version,
partners share a pile. New captures are added to the top of the pile.
When you capture several cards at once, you may sort the
captured cards however you like. The
capturing
card, however, must go on top of your pile. You do not show the other
players in what order you have arranged the captured cards in your pile.
When playing with partnerships, you may sort the cards you capture, or
if your partner is looking after your team's capture pile you may hand
the cards to your partner to sort instead.
In the centre of the playing area is the
layout of face
up cards which are available for capture by the players. At the start
of the game there are four single cards in the layout. As the game
progresses, these can be captured, or further single cards can be played
there. It is also possible for cards in the layout to be combined into
builds - piles of cards with a specific total value which are treated as
a single unit until they are captured. There are two types of build:
- a single build is a pile of cards whose value is
the sum of the values of the cards in it - for example a single build of
13 could consist of a 6, a 5 and a 2.
- an augmented build consists of two or more
single cards or sets of cards, each of which adds up to the same value -
for example an augmented build of 12 could consist of two queens, or
Q + 7+5, or 6+6 + 8+3+A, or Q + Q + 10+2 + 3+3+6, etc.
Each build has an
owner, who is responsible for
eventually capturing it, unless it is first changed in value or captured
by another player. Single cards in the layout belong to no one in
particular.
The turn to play rotates. Your turn can consist several actions, in any order. At some point during your turn you
must play
exactly one card from your hand. The possible actions during a turn are:
- to play a card from your hand to capture one or more single cards and/or a build from the layout;
- to form a new build of your own;
- to change the value of a build using a card from your hand;
- to create or add to an augmented build;
- to discard a single card from your hand to the layout.
Actions 1, 3 and 5 involve playing a card from your hand, so only one
of these actions can be performed during a turn. Actions 2 and 4 can
involve playing a card from your hand, or can be performed using only
cards that are already in play. As long as no card from your hand is
involved, you can perform as many of actions 2 and 4 as you wish in any
order, before or after playing from your hand.
Each type of action will now be described in detail:
- 1. The capture or "chow"
- A capture can only be made by playing a card from your hand.
- If you play a card from your hand that matches a single card in the layout, that single card is captured.
- If the card you play matches the sum of several single cards in the layout, you capture that set of cards.
- If the card you play matches the value of a build, you capture that build (no matter who owns it).
- If you play a card that matches several separate cards, sets or builds you can capture them all.
- Note that you cannot capture cards directly from
the top of an opponent's capture pile (though you may be able to do so
indirectly by first using them to augment a build - see below). Also,
you can only capture a build by matching its value - you cannot add the
value of another build or card to create a match. Example: in the layout
is a build of 8 (5+3), a build of 6 (4+2) and a single 6. If you play
an ace (14) it does not capture anything. If you play a 6 it captures
the single 6 and the 6-build.
- If you play a capturing card as an
action of type 1 or 5 (capture or discard), but fail to take all the
cards you are entitled to capture, any opponent can insist (if they
wish) that you capture all the cards that it is legal for you to take.
(They might do this if they thought you would get an advantage by
leaving some of the cards that you should have captured in the layout).
Alternatively, if the opponents think that you have made a mistake by
not capturing all the cards that you could, they may let your play
stand.
- Note that it is legal to play a card that could have captured, but
to use it in a build instead (action 2, 3 or 4). This is called drifting. If you use your played card legally for an action of type 2, 3 or 4, the opponents have no right to make you capture instead.
- 2. Creating a single build
- A single build can be formed from single cards already in the
layout, with or without adding a card from your hand. The player who
forms the build becomes its owner. You are only allowed to form a build
if you have a card in your hand which can later capture that build.
Examples:
- there is a 5, a 3 and a 2 in the layout and you have a 10 in your hand; you can combine the 5, 3 and 2 into a build of 10.
- there is a 4 and a 5 in the layout and you have a 5 and an ace
in your hand; you can play your 5, combining it to the 4 and 5 to make a
build of 14.
- You are not allowed to use cards from any capture pile when creating a single build.
- 3. Changing the value of a single build
- You can change the value of a single build only if all of the following conditions hold:
- the build is currently owned by an opponent;
- you change the value by adding a single card from your hand
- you have a card in your hand that matches the new value of the build
By changing the value you take over ownership of the single build. - Example: if your opponent has made a single build
of 9 and you hold a 2 and a jack, you can add your 2 to the build and
make it 11. You would not be allowed to do this if the 9-build had been
formed by yourself or your partner.
- Note that it is not possible to change the value of a build and
capture it in the same turn, as that would involve playing two cards
from your hand.
- It is not possible to change the value of an augmented build
- 4. Augmenting a card or build
- You can augment a build that is owned by yourself or your partner by
adding further single cards or sets of cards of the same value. When
augmenting a build you can use single cards from the layout, one card
from your hand, and the top card of the opponents' capture pile(s). It
is possible to form a build and then augment it in the same turn.
-
- If there is a single card in the layout which you can match
with a card from your hand, you can make this card into an augmented
build by adding further cards to it, from the layout, from your hand or
from the top of the opponents' capture pile(s). You thereby become the
owner of that build.
- You can augment a build owned by your opponent only if
you also capture that build in the same turn. Since you can only
capture with a card from your hand, and you can only play one card from
your hand during your turn, any augmentation of an opponent's build has
to be done using cards from the layout or from the top of your
opponents' capture pile(s).
- You are not allowed to use a card from the top of your own (or partner's) capture pile to augment a build.
- The value of an augmented build can never be changed. Such a build
can only be further augmented and then eventually captured by a card of
that value.
- Only the card on top of your opponents' capture pile at any time is
available to augment a build. After it has been taken the card
underneath it becomes available for use. Example: There
are a 9 and a 2 in the layout. You have a 9 in your hand, the top card
of an opponent's capture pile is a 5 and the next card underneath that
is a 2. You are not allowed to take the 5 and 2 from the opponent's pile
with the 2 on the table to augment the build. However, if the layout
had instead contained a 9, a 7 and a 4, it would be legal to add the 4
with the opponent's captured 5 to make an augmented build of nines, and
then use the now exposed 2 with the 7 from the layout to augment the
build again.
- If there are any cards in play (in the layout or on top of a capture
pile) that can legally be added to a build owned by you or your
partner, any opponent can insist that you add such cards to your
build(s) before you end your turn.
- 5. Discarding a card
- You are always free, for the play from your hand, to play a card
that does not capture anything, simply leaving it as a single card in
the layout. There is no obligation (as in standard Anglo-American
Casino) to make a capture when you own a build.
- You may not, however, abandon a build that you own by using up all
of the cards that you could have captured it with for other purposes.
It is never possible to break up builds, nor to combine two builds to form a build of higher value.
Note that the top card of an opponent's capture pile can
only be used to
augment a card or build. So before you can make use of the card, you must already have a
"base" in the layout which it can help to augment. A base is
- a build that belongs to you or your partner, or
- a single card in the layout which does not match the value of any existing build, and which either
- you could capture by matching it from your hand, or
- you can prove your partner can capture it, because your partner
previously made a build of that value which was changed or taken by
someone else and has not subsequently played a card of that value.
There cannot be two builds of the same capture value on the table at the
same time. That means that if your opponent has (for example) a build
of 13, you are not allowed to make a 13-build of your own alongside it.
You can make a second build of a value which your side already owns, but
your must then combine them into a single augmented build.
Example:
you own a 13-build and an opponent has created a single build of 9
(6+3). If you have a 4 in your hand, you can play it to increase the
9-build to 13, but you must then amalgamate this with your existing
13-build to make an augmented 13-build.
A single ace in the layout or in a player's hand or in a capture pile
can be deemed to have a value of 1 or 14 according to the player who
wants to use it in a build or capture. Once an ace is incorporated in a
build, its value is fixed until the build is captured. If you put two
aces together to make an augmented build you must choose and announce
whether its value is 1 or 14.
Special rules for partnership play
If your partner owns a build whose value is then changed by an opponent,
or which is captured by someone other than your partner (including
yourself), then you know that your partner holds a card of the rank
needed to capture that build. As long as your partner does not play a
card of this rank, you are allowed to create a new single or augmented
build of this rank, which will be owned by your partner. This is the
only circumstance in which you can build for your partner, no matter how
completely obvious it is that your partner has the card in question
from other cues.
If your partner plays a card that captures a build belonging to you or
your partner, and you have a card of that rank in your hand, you may ask
your partner not to capture the build. Your partner may ignore your
request and capture the build anyway, or may instead use the played card
to augment the build, in which case you take over ownership of the
build.
The end of the play and the scoring
When all the cards have been played, whoever made the last capture takes whatever cards are left in the layout.
Each player or team then scores for the cards in their capture pile as follows:
| Player (or team) with most cards | 2 points (if tied the tieing players get one point each) |
| Player (team) with most spades | 2 points (if tied the tieing players get
one point each) |
| Two of spades ("spy two") | 1 point |
| Ten of diamonds ("big ten") | 2 points |
| Aces | 1 point each |
Thus a total of 11 points are scored for each deal.
Note that there is no extra score for sweeps (capturing all cards from the layout)
Swazi Casino: Two-player version
In the standard two-player version, after the cut twelve cards are dealt
out to each player, and when these have been played another twelve each
are dealt. While playing your first twelve cards, there are two extra
restrictions:
- It is illegal to discard a card without capturing while you own a build.
- you are not allowed to have more than one build at the end of
your turn (you may, however, make a second build for the purposes of
stealing cards from your opponent, as long as you chow one of the two
builds at the end of the turn).
After the first twelve cards have been played, the layout is left
intact and the remaining cards are dealt. When playing your second
twelve cards, the rules of play are as in three or four-player casino,
without the above restrictions.
An alternate two-player version is sometimes called
"crazy casino".
In this version, each player is dealt eight cards, and the remainder
form a face-down drawing pile from which you pick up a card after each
play, to keep eight cards in your hand, until all of the cards are gone.
In this version, the first of the two restrictions above - that you
may not discard while you are building - applies until there are no
cards left in the drawing pile. The rule against more than one build is
sometimes also enforced, but Jonathan Dushoff suggests that this
version of the game is better without it.
Notes on tactics
The tactics of this game centre around the builds - especially builds of
high value. Suppose for example that early in the game you find that
you (or your team) have a monopoly of aces. Then you can make a build of
14 that the other team cannot touch, and at every opportunity you
augment it with more sets of cards adding up to 14. Right at the end you
capture a huge pile of cards with your last ace.
Sometimes there will be rival piles - for example one player (or team)
building 14's and another building 12's. Build piles with a high capture
value are most powerful, because they are easy to augment. If you have a
smaller value build pile - say nines - then it will be safe for your
opponents to play a 10 or higher, because these cards cannot be
incorporated in your build. If your opponent has a pile of 13's or 14's,
all your cards are potentially at risk. If your opponent has a 13-build
and you capture with (say) a 10, your opponent may play a 3 from hand
and then take your 10 together with the 3 to augment the build.
A large part of the tactics of the game is correct timing of when to
capture. Although the ultimate objective is to capture cards, capturing
early can put you at a disadvantage, especially in the three-player
game, because your capture pile then becomes available to your opponents
to augment their builds. Because large value piles are so powerful, it
is particularly important not to release your queens, kings and aces too
early if this may give your opponent a monopoly. To exploit this, if
you and another player have (say) a king each, you might start a
13-build early in the game to tempt your opponent to capture it, leaving
you with a 13 monopoly.
Drifting can be used as a way of signalling to your partner. Drifting is
only safe when you know that your opponents have no more of the card in
question, or when you know that you and your partner combined will
still have two left. Therefore a drift by the player who owns the pile
signals that he or she has two more of the card in question; a drift by
the other partner signals one more of the card in question (unless the
card played is appearing for the third time, in which case the build is
safe anyway). Players may drift reciprocally, so that both can be
assured that the build is safe. For example, my partner builds kings,
and I have two. I might drift a king. If she also has two, then she
knows that our build is safe, and should then drift back at an early
opportunity so that I will know, too.
Sotho Casino
Sotho casino differs from Swazi casino in that the picture cards lose
their numerical value, and an ace can only be one. Cards taken to the
capture pile may not be sorted, but are left in whatever order they
accumulated on the build pile, with the capturing card on top. Partners
keep separate piles, and you may steal your partner's top card to help
augment a build. Picture cards are placed in the capture pile beneath
all the numeral cards but above other picture cards. You may give your
partner picture cards you captures to store in your partner's pile (it
seems unlikely that this would be very useful, but they do it).
South African Casino
Faizal Asmal provided a short description of a version of Casino that is
popular in South Africa. This resembles the Swazi and Sotho versions in
that cards can be taken from an opponent's capture pile, but the
detailed rules are somewhat different. The South African game can be
played by two, three of four players. It is played with a 40 card pack,
obtained by removing all the pictures from a standard 52 card pack.
The first dealer is chosen at random. In subsequent hands the previous
loser is the first person to be dealt cards, and also starts the game.
If there are two players, 10 cards are dealt to each player and there is
a second deal of 10 cards when these have all been played. For the
three player game, 13 cards are dealt to each player and one is placed
face up on the table. For the four player game, 10 cards are dealt to
each player.
Note that with two or four players there are no face up cards on the
table at the start, so the first player cannot capture but must simply
play a card. In South Africa, playing a card without capturing is called
drifting.
All captured cards are kept
face up in a single pile in
front of the player who captured them. New captures are added to the
top of the pile. When you capture several cards at once, they must be
placed on your pile in numerical order, with the lowest card on top. The
top card of each player's capture pile is available to be captured by
other players along with the face up cards on the table.
If you have a build on the table you are not allowed simply to drift; you must either add to your build or capture something.
A player who already has a build on the table may steal the top card of a
player's capture pile to incorporate into the build, provided that the
building player simultaneously adds a card to the build from hand.
Example: Player A has a seven and two eights in hand;
on the table is a build of 8's and a lone seven; the top card of player
B's capture pile is an ace. Player A has various options:
- play his seven, steal player B's ace and add both to his build of eights;
- add one of his eights to his build;
- play one of his eights, capturing his build, the loose seven on the table, and the ace from player B's pile.
When there are two players, after both players have played their first
ten cards there is another deal of ten cards each. In this second phase
the rules are slightly different: players are always allowed to drift,
even if they have a build on the table.
When all the cards have been played, whoever made the last capture takes whatever cards are left in the centre of the table.
The scores are as follows:
- Player with most cards: 2 points (if tied the tying players get one point each)
- For having at least five spades: 1 point
- Two of spades: 1 point
- Ten of diamonds: 2 points
- Aces: 1 point each
