Cento (The 100 Games) - Game 5: Primes Rummy

Rules of play

Prerequisite: Familiarity with the digits 0 to 9. Preferably the players should be able to distinguish between ones-digit and tens-digit and be familiar with the term “prime number”.

Ages: 7 and up.

Participants: 2 to 6 players.

Cards in game: All numerical cards; inclusion of “free” cards (

) is optional.

Object of the game: To arrange in sets all cards in a player’s hand.

Set-up: Same as games 1-3.

Basic rules of play:

As in rummy - each player in turn draws a card either from the draw pile or the “open” card. Then, he has to discard one of his 8 cards to the discard pile as a new “open” card.

By using his cards the player creates one or more sets in the following manner:

a.	Every set is based on a “key” card, which has to be a prime number (red number at the corners of the card). Note: The “Prime Numbers” card might be useful.
b.	The rest of the cards in the set have to be numbers matching the “key” card by a common ones-digit and numbers matching the “key” card by a common tens-digit. For example, a player planning to build a set based on the “key” card “23”, will try to collect cards with a ones-digit=3 (i.e. “3”, “13” … “93”), and cards with a tens-digit=2 (i.e. “20”, “21” … “29”).
c.	Every set consists of 3 or more cards.

Special cards rules:

1.	When the “key” card is a single digit number (i.e. “2”, “3”, “5” or “7”), the rest of the cards in the set have to match it by a common ones-digit or have to be other single digit numbers. For example, a player holding the card “2” will try to collect cards with a ones-digit=2 (i.e. “12”, “22” … “92”) and other single digit numbers (i.e. “1” to “9”).
2.	A “free” card () may replace any number in the game (only 1 through 99) including a “key” card, provided it matches the rest of the cards in the set according to the basic rules of play. Using this card wisely may increase the chance of winning.

End of game: The game ends when a player manages to arrange 7 cards in sets, and is declared the winner of the game. He reveals these 7 cards and discards the 8^th card upon the discard pile.
For example:

A session of games is set by recording scores in the following manner:

a.	The winner in every game scores 0 points.
b.	The score for each of the remaining players is the number of “key” cards (plus “free” cards) in his hand. Alternatively, they may continue playing every game, and then the player who finishes second scores 2 points, the third scores 3 points, and so on.

The winner of the session is the player who scores the lowest total of points.

Advanced game:

1.	2 to 4 players.
2.	Each player is dealt 14 cards.
3.	Every set must include at least 4 cards.