Memory

Contributed by Keith Stewart (keystewy7@hotmail.com)

A challenging variation on 'High or Low' where players are allowed occasions to memorize their cards.

Number of players: 2-4, preferably 4.

Object: To lose all your cards.

Setup: Deal all the cards out evenly, (or as evenly as possibly). Now players may look at their cards and memorize them without reordering the cards in any way until the dealer announces "cards down". Players now hold their cards face down in a stack. They may not look at their cards again, with exceptions.

Play: Dealer begins by playing his first top card to the center of the table. Player to dealer's left proceeds by saying "higher" or "lower" and then playing their top card on dealer's card. If the player was correct in guessing that their card was higher or lower, the card stays. If not, the player must pick up the pile and place it under their own pile. Now it is the next player's turn. They do the same, saying "higher" or "lower" and laying a card.

Special Occasions: If a player plays a black ace, all players may look at their own stack and memorize their cards. They do this until the player of the black ace, says "cards down" at which point they turn their cards face down in a stack and resume play.

Variations: Sometimes the black ace is played where instead of all players memorizing their cards, only the player of the black ace may memorize his cards. This lasts until it is his turn at which point he must stop looking at his cards and keep them face down.