| Game
Overview
Gang of Four takes features
from Uno, Poker, Rummy, '500' and Mahjong
and rolls them into one game. Each hand
sees the entire deck dealt out so that each
player begins the hand with 16 cards. When
playing 3 players a dummy hand is dealt
and this is why I suggest that 4 players
is best as it removes the guesswork and
allows for more cunning play. The aim is
to be the first person to get rid of all
your cards and doing so will earn the other
players points based on the number they
have left. When one player reaches 100+
points the player with the lowest score
is declared the winner. The deck consists
of 3 cards ranging from value 1 to 10 and
these come in 3 colours - green, yellow
and red. There is 2 numbers of each colour
creating a set of 6 cards for each number.
The exception is the number 1 which also
includes a multi-coloured 1 and the player
that starts the first hand of the game with
it is declared the starting player. The
deck then has 3 special cards - the Green
and Yellow Phoenix and the Red Dragon. When
played they will also beat a numbered card
but can only be played as singles a pair
of Phoenix or the pair as part of a full
house. The play proceeds by the starting
player leading a set of cards, which could
be a single, pair, 3 of a kind, straight,
flush, full house, straight flush (all of
these are referred to as 5 card combos)
or a Gang. The order I have listed these
indicate their value so a full house would
beat a flush or straight. The trick however
is that like '500' the other players must
follow what is lead. Instead of following
suit though the players must follow the
number of cards played and they cannot play
a weaker valued set than the one played
prior. Value is determined by number and
then colour and in the case of 5 card combos
there is a pecking order here also. A player
can decide to pass instead of playing a
set of cards (except the player who leads)
even if they have a valid set. The catch
is that if all but 1 player passes in a
round then that 1 player will win the trick
and gets to lead the next. In this way players
strive to get rid of cards. There is one
exception to having to follow the number
of cards lead. If a player has 4 or more
cards of the same number it is called a
Gang. A Gang can be played on any set of
cards and will beat it. If 2 Gangs are played
in the same round then the higher valued
Gang prevails and a Gang of 5 would also
beat a Gang of 4. A final twist is added
by having the player caught with the most
cards in the prior hand having to give the
winner of that prior hand their highest
valued card in the next hand. The winner
of the last hand then gives them any card
of their choice in return and the new hand
can begin with the winner of the last hand
having the lead. Nasty!
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