Take

Contributed by Alan McCollough (kittycat@kittycatonline.com)

Introduction

TAKE is an exciting rummy variant in which players can confiscate each other's card builds!

The Deck

Standard 52-card deck, with 2 Jokers

The Deal

The first dealer is chosen randomly, and the turn to deal alternates between the players. Each player is dealt seven cards, one at a time. After the cards are dealt, the dealer takes the first card from the deal deck, and that card is turned face up to start the discard pile. The remainder of the deck is placed face down beside it to form the stock. The players look at and sort their cards.

The Object of the Game

The object of the game is to arrange as many as possible of the ten cards in your hand into sequences. A sequence consists of three or more cards of the same suit in consecutive order, such as 4 , 5, 6; or 8, 9, 10, J.

A card can belong to only one sequence at a time. [A Joker can be used as a substitute for any card needed to form a sequence.] When a Joker is used in a sequence, the card which the Joker is substituting cannot be used to replace that joker. Understand, however, that if the Joker is used as an Ace, and is played as Ace (Joker), 2, 3 ; the natural Ace can still be used in a Queen, King, Ace sequence. However, it is not legal to have aces at both ends of one sequence.

Play

A normal turn consists of three parts:

1. The Draw: You must begin by taking one card from either the top of the stock pile or the top card on the discard pile, and adding it to your hand. The discard pile is face up, so you can see in advance what you are getting. The stock is face down, so if you choose to draw from the stock you do not see the card until after you have committed yourself to take it. If you draw from the stock, you add the card to your hand without showing it to the other players. If you have a sequence of at least three cards, you can lay them down on the table as points. You are not obligated to lay down completed sequences, however, you do risk being caught with the cards in your hand if another player goes out.
2. The Take: The current player has the opportunity to use any cards in his hand to expand upon any sequences the he or other players have laid down. If the current player is adding to his own sequence, he adds any cards to the sequence. If the current player is going to build upon another player's sequence; he would reach over and take the other player's sequence from the victim player, and add that sequence to his own points.
   TAKE EXAMPLE: Player Alpha has a 5, 6, and 7 of clubs down on the table. It is Player Bravo's turn. Player Bravo has, among other cards, an 8 of clubs. Player Bravo reaches over, picks up the 5, 6, and 7 of clubs from Player Alpha, and places it down in his own area, along with his 8 of clubs.
   DOUBLE TAKE EXAMPLE: Player Alpha has a 2, 3, 4, and 5 of diamonds. Player Bravo has a 7, 8, and 9 of diamonds. It is Player Charlie's turn, and Player Charlie has a 6 of diamonds. Player Charlie takes the 2,3,4,5 from Player Alpha, and the 7,8,9 from Player Charlie. Player Charlie lays down his impressive 2,3,4,5,6,7,8, and 9 of diamonds.
   LOCKING IT UP: When a player manages to get a complete 2-through-Ace sequence, this is called "Locking It Up", since it is impossible to take a 2-Ace (or low Ace - King) sequence away; it is complete and locked up (since it is illegal to use a joker to make a sequence with aces at both ends). Big points.
   Note that a joker can be used if you wish to take any sequence that is not locked - though there will often be a better use for it.
3. The Discard: To complete your turn, one card must be discarded from your hand and placed on top of the discard pile face up. If you took the top card from the discard pile, you must discard a different card - taking the top discard and putting the same card back is not permitted. Discarding a card that could have been added to a sequence on the table is also not permitted. If all your cards remaining cards can be melded you cannot discard: instead you must meld all your cards and become a floater - see below.

Ending the Game

The game ends when a player discards his last non-playing card into the discard pile.

A playable card cannot be discarded, and must be added to the current player's points, leaving the player as a floater with no cards, but not ending the play. On the next turn, if the play has not ended meanwhile, the floater must draw from the stock; if this card can be melded the floater must do so and remain a floater; if it cannot be melded the floater discards it and wins. The floater is not allowed to take an unplayable card from the top of the discard pile in this case, since it is illegal to discard the same card.

Most players choose to continue playing until one of the players reaches 500 points.

Scoring

The scoring is as follows: Cards 2-9 = 5 points, Cards 10-King = 10 points, Aces = 15 points, Jokers = 20 points. When play stops, players must subtract the value of cards they are holding from the value of cards they have laid down.