Spoons is another member of the eights group of card games, closely related to Crates (strongly founded in humor) but more active. The Mork and Mindy card game drew strongly from the rules for Spoons.

Object
Like other members of the eights group of games, the object is to get rid of your cards before anyone else. There are a number of rules which if violated always are penalized by a draw of a card.

Deck
Two decks of cards, no jokers (104 cards total).

Players
3 - 8 players

Extras
(Players - 1) spoons should be placed at the center of the table, within reach of everyone. It is advised to not use any other utensil - especially if it has sharp (fork/knife) or serrated edges (grapefruit spoons).

Rule Violations
When a rule is violated, all players who recognize the violation must point at the violator and make a particular noise akin to a buzzer in a game show.

Upon drawing of a card, the violator must say interjection agreed upon at the start of the hand (this can change from hand to hand). Soy! Soy! Soy! is perfectly acceptable and along the right idea. Other examples include "Curses, foiled again!", "Oy, Vey!", "Oh, woe is me!" and "Bummer!". If the violator doesn't say the exact phrase, he or she is subject to this penalty again.

However, there is a statue of limitations on this. If the error is not pointed out before two other players have completed their plays, the rule bender gets away with it. If a person tries to correct them for this violation after the statue of limitations has run out, they are in violation themselves rather than the original violator.

Deal
Deal passes to the left. The number of cards dealt depends on the number of players: 3-4 => 7 each; 5-6 => 6 each; 7-8 => 5 each. The remainder of the cards are placed in the center of the table face down. The top card is turned over to begin the discard pile. The effects of the initial card are played as if the card was played by the dealer. The dealer must announce the "name" of the card (see below) as it is turned over, or the dealer is in violation.

Play
Unless a queen is turned up, the game starts to the dealer's left and proceeds clockwise. Like other eights group games, players must either draw a card or play a card face up on the discard pile that matches either suit or rank. Upon discarding a card, the player must say the "name" of the card or they are in violation. If you have a card you can play, you do not have to play it. However, if you do not play, you must draw (drawing a card by choice is not the same as being in violation, an thus the interjection does not need be said. Anyone who calls a violation upon a card on your own free will is in violation themselves.) If the drawn card can be played, it may. Play continues on to the next person.

When a person gets down to one card, they must announce it by saying "one card!" or they are in violation. Holding cards to prevent others from seeing how may you have is a rule violation.

When the last card is discarded, the player must announce its name as well, otherwise it is a rule violation and they must draw another. Note: upon drawing another card, the player is once again at one card and must announce it again.

Names and Powers
All cards without powers have 'names' according to the rank, regardless of suit. For example, upon playing a six of spades, one must say "Six".
King
Upon the play of a king, the player must select an opponent and say "Draw two, (player)". The player can then either:
  1. Say the phrase and draw two cards (or be held in violation in addition to having to do this), or
  2. Play a king from their hand on the discard pile immediately. This returns the attack on the attacker with an additional card. The player should then say "Draw three, (attacker)"
If the attack is returned, the original attacker has the same options. The back and forth can continue until one side runs out of Kings.

Play continues from whoever played the final King. Anyone who plays out of turn is in violation of the rules.

Queen
The queen reverses the direction of play. The phrase said with it is "Switchback". Remember that anyone who plays out of turn is in violation.
Jack
When played, the player (and everyone else) must yell "Spoons!" and grab a spoon. Because of the number of spoons, one person will end up without a spoon. That player must then say the interjection phrase and draw two cards, or is held in violation of the rules. If someone grabs more than one spoon, that player is in violation of the rules rather than the spoon-less ones. If two people grab the same spoon, the one who has the hold closer to the handle wins. As this is a friendly game, brute force should never be an issue.
Ten (10)
The player of a 10 gets to play again. The name of the card is "Repeat". As in a normal turn, the player must either draw or play another card, which may also be a ten. A sneaky way to win is to hold onto several tens and then play them in one burst. Be sure to remember to call "one card" at the appropriate time.

If the final card is a ten, that player must play again. Because the player has no other cards in his or her hand, he or she must draw a card.

Eight (8)
Eights are wild. They may change the suit of the discard pile to any suit. The name of the card is the new suit to be played. Failure to name with the eight is the same as any other card.
Deuce (2)
This begins "the count". When a two is played, the nature of discarding is changed. The player announces "Two", and the following players must either play an ace (counting as 'one') or a two, and announce the total of all the two's and aces played in the count so far. The first player that cannot play a two or an ace must draw as many cards as have been counted out (after saying the appropriate phrase).

Example: Adam plays "two". Ben drops an ace onto the pile and announces "three". Charlie plays a two on the pile and says "five". David cannot play an ace or two and thus says Soy! Soy! Soy! and draws five cards. Play then continues with the person following David.

This can become a very vicious process if the players hang onto their twos and aces just incase of such a contingency. The theoretical maximum that may have to be drawn is 24 cards, but that is rare case. The average draw is between two and six.

The "one card" rule is not suspended during "the count", and it must be announced after play. If anyone goes out of cards during "the count", the game continues until someone is unable to play a two or an ace and draws their cards. It is possible that the person who went out is the one who will have to draw the cards. If after the cards are drawn, one or more players is still out of cards, the first person who went out of cards is the winner and the other players without cards must draw a single card (saying the appropriate phrase).

Ace (1)
The ace has no special powers, but is here because it has two different ways of being announced. In regular play, it is called "Ace", while in "the count", it is called by the total.

Out of cards
The player's who's turn it is must take all the cards under the top discard pile (which is left in place), shuffle them, and place them back on the table.

Scoring
Whoever went out scores 0 points for that round. Everyone else scores points for the cards remaining in their hands:
  • 30 points: each 10, 8
  • 20 points: each K, Q, J
  • 10 points: each A, 2
  • 5 points: all other cards
The game is typically played to 500 points, though this is not a firm rule.

Spoons is a game that I have played before but with rather different set of rules:

  • There are (players -1) spoons piled in the middle of the floor around which all the players sit or crouch.
  • The dealer deals 5 cards to each person. If more than 10 people are playing, use 2 decks.
  • Once the cards are dealt, the dealer places the remainder of the cards face down in front of him (the pile) and draws one.
  • The dealer selects a card to discard. The discard is placed face down and slid to the person on the dealer's left.
  • The next player does the same. If a card goes once around the group, it is then placed face up beside the pile and a new card is drawn.
  • When a player gets three of a kind in their hand, they must take a spoon. If a player has three of a kind from the deal, they must grab a spoon once the dealer has drawn the first card. Once one player has grabbed a spoon, everyone else immediately grabs a spoon until some poor sod is left without. Brute force is encouraged.
  • The original spoon grabber must reveal their hand to show the three of a kind. If there was a violation, then that person is eliminated rather than the poor sod who got left without a spoon.
  • Remove one spoon and repeat until one person is left.

This is more enjoyable in the presence drinks and members of the opposite sex. However, we did stop playing after several spoons had been mutilated beyond recognition.

I have played 2 different games called "Spoons". One is very similar to that described by firmware, and the other is unlike anything you've ever seen.

Spoons

This game is sort of like musical chairs meets gin. It is exceedingly simple. Deal four cards of a standard deck (no jokers) to each player. The dealer takes the top card of the deck and then discards to his left. The next player takes this card and discards to his left. And so on (make a complete loop!) until someone has four of a kind. At this point, they pick up a spoon. They do so casually and subtly, and should continue to pick up cards and discard them. All other players should also do so. This leaves some moron concentrating vigorously on his cards and not paying any attention to what's going on around him, much to everyone's amusement. I've seen some saps keep playing intensely for up to five minutes.

Spoons

This is easily the most fun you can have in a middle school cafeteria (without getting a detention...).

The game is played one-on-one between two 12-year old boys. The equipment is two plastic spoons. In preparation for the match, each contender should bend the last x inches of the handle of their spoon at a right angle to the rest of the handle. (.25<x<1.5) This is where matches are won and lost--a well-bent spoon is a mighty weapon indeed.

Once the weapons have been fashioned, one competitor holds their spoon securely between their thumb and index finger, bowl facing their opponent and concave upward. The spoon should be held as near to the bowl as possible without actually getting the thumb inside the bowl. The other contender bends the handle of their spoon backwards, bent part facing down, and then releases it, causing it to strike the opponent's spoon. Then, the positions are reversed and the other guy gets a go. Repeat until it is agreed that the bowl of one spoon is gone. The sad owner of this spoon has lost.


Set up a tournament! Take bets! No holds are barred in Spoons!

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