Galaxy

Contributed by Ben Humphries (tuj.dot@tesco.net).

The aim is to get rid of your cards as quickly as possible by making them into moons.

Each player is dealt 9 cards. They may put down cards in front of them as follows:

PLANET

Before any moons can be made, you need a planet. This is made of 2 or more cards of the same suit which add up to between 15 and 18. You are only allowed one planet. The 5 of clubs is also a planet on its own (see below). Aces may not be part of planets. Picture cards count as 10 points towards the total.

MOONS

These are groups of 2 or more cards which are made up in one of 3 ways:

1. a run of 3 or more cards of the same colour (not suit)
2. 2, 3, or 4 cards of the same value
3. an ace (see below)

After players have put down their initial sets, new cards become available like this:

As many cards as there are players aredealt face down from the top of the deck in the centre of the playing space; these are the prizes. The player to the dealer's left (or the winner of the previous trick thereafter) picks one of the cards to be turned over. He then leads to a trick (as in Whist) by playing one of the cards from his hand (your hand consists of the cards not put down in moons or your planet). There are no trumps. You must follow suit if possible; if not, discard. The highest card takes the first prize card, the second highest the second, and so on. If they want to take the exposed card, the players may try to play high or low or in the middle in an effort to take it. Discards are ranked in order from king down to 2, and count below cards that follow suit. Thus, if the 3 of spades was led, and the other cards played were 2 spades,4 hearts, and 8 diamonds, 3 spades takes 1st prize, 2 spades second, 8 diamonds 3rd, and 4 hearts fourth prize. The cards played in the trick are discarded once the trick is over, and put onto a discard pile next to the deck. Players may now put down any new moons. (The prize cards are dealt from the top of the deck in sequence (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.), so that the face-up card could be any of the prizes, at the choice of the winner of the previous trick).

Other Rules:

Moons may be changed around after being played, but planets may not. Moons may not be replaced into your hand, however.

1. Aces are automatic moons. They may not be played in a run or sequence, and cannot be played in a trick.
2. The five of clubs is an automatic planet. It may not be played in a run or sequence, and cannot be played in a trick.
3. If you gain the 5 of clubs as a prize, you must switch it for your current planet and return the cards that did form your planet into your hand.
4. If 2 or more players play discards to a trick that are the same denomination, suits come into play. Diamonds are highest, followed by clubs, then spades, then hearts.
5. You may add to your moons at any time- e.g. if you already have a moon which consists of 2 nines, you may add another 9 to it at any time.
6. If you have exhausted the deck, flip over the discard pile, shuffle, and continue.

THE WINNER is the player who gets rid of all their cards first.