The card game Casino is an entertaining game played with two to four players. Score points by winning specific cards and by winning the most cards. Find the video tutorial and written explanation for how to play casino below.
Casino Tutorial
Needed
52 card deck; two to four players, pen and paper for scorekeeping
Deal
Four cards are dealt to each player. Two cards are dealt to the opponent, two cards are dealt face up into the middle, and then two cards are dealt to the dealer. The process is repeated once.
Once the players have played all four cards, the dealer will deal out another four cards to each player, two cards at a time. This is repeated until all cards have been dealt.
Objective
The object of the game is to score points by winning specific cards and by winning the most cards. There are 11 possible points to earn each round.
Three points are awarded for winning the most cards. One point for winning the most spade suited cards. Two points for the ten of diamonds, also known as the big casino. One point for the 2 of spades, also known as the little casino. One point is awarded for each ace.
Game Play
During game play, the players will try to take in as many cards as they can in order to win as many points as they can. Cards can be taken by pairing a card from your hand to a card that is in the middle. Multiple cards from the middle can be added together and taken by a card that equals their total value.
For example, a 7 from a player’s hand can take a 3 and 4 from the middle. If a player is unable to take a card, he/she will have to trail a card, which means placing a card from his/her hand into the middle.
Two combinations can be created during game play. A build combination and a call combination.
A build combination is created when a card from a player’s hand is combined with a card in the middle. This can only be done if the combined total equals the value of a card in that player’s hand.
For example, a player can combine a 2 from his/her hand with a 6 in the middle to build an 8 if he/she an 8 in his/her hand. Upon making this move, the player would announce building 8 to let other players know that the 2 and 6 are combined now and cannot be separated. On the player’s next turn, he/she can take the built 8. When a build combination is made, the opponent can take it if he/she has a card that equals the amount.
When a combination is built, players can continue to build up the combination. A player can add an ace to a built 8 to turn it into a built 9. This can only be done if the player has a 9 in his/her hand.
The other combination type is a call combination. A call combination is combining cards with an equal value. This can only be done if the player has a card of equal value in still in his hand. A player can add an 8 from his/her hand to an 8 in the middle and announces calling 8. On the player’s next turn, he/she can take the 8s with the 8 from his/her hand.
Multiple cards from the middle can be used to create a call combination. A player is able to play a 5 onto the 2 to build a 7. Then, on the same turn, add the built 7 to a 7 in the middle to call 7. This is only allowed if the player has a 7 to take the called combination.
Scoring
Players review the cards collected at the end and score as follows:
Most Cards: 3 Points (not counted if there is a tie)
Most Spades: 1 Point
Big Casino (10 of diamonds): 2 Points
Little Casino (2 off spades): 1 Point
Aces: 1 Point Each
A game is played to 21 points.
Rules
The player that took cards last gets any remaining cards in the middle when the round is over.
The kings, queens, and jacks cannot be part of a combination. They can only be paired and taken.
Only one card is played from a player’s hand during a turn.
A player can only create a combination if he holds a card in his hand with the same value as the combination being created.
A call combinations remain at the initial value and cannot be raised by any player.
A player that created a combination cannot trail a card on his next turn if the combination created has not been changed.