Twist is a card game similar to many of the games in the
Eights group, notably
Crazy Eights. As with the rest of the games in the
Eights group, the object is to get rid of all your cards.
- A standard 52 card deck is used. Make sure all jokers have been removed before starting play.
- The game consists of a series of hands dealt to each player. The first hand is played with 5 cards given to each player, although this number is flexible and can be increased at will to give a longer game. Each successive hand is played with one less card down to a hand of just one card each.
-
Play begins with whichever player has an ace in his hand. If no player has an ace, cards are drawn from the reserve pile in turn and added to the player's hands until an ace is turned up.
- Play proceeds clockwise. In his turn, a player must draw a card from the reserve pile and add it to his own hand.
- Cards of the same suit are played on top of the initial ace. For example, any spade can be played on top of an A♠. After this, any card of the same suit or rank as the card on top of the discard pile may be played.
- If a player is unable to play a card to the discard pile, he must draw by turns from the reserve pile until he is able to play.
- At any point in the game, a player may set down an ace of any suit (regardless of the suit or rank of the card currently atop the discard pile) and declare which suit he wishes to be played on top of it. If an A♦ is played, and the player announces 'Clubs!', play will continue as if the card were the ace of clubs.
- The winning player of each round is the one who first gets rid of all his cards. As there are typically five rounds, the winner overall is he who wins best of five.
Thanks to m_turner for clarification.