The Best Card Game In The World

ASHLEIGH

The name of this game is "Ashleigh".
We'll explain later.
Click here to read the simple version of the rules

WHY ?

Really? The best card game in the world?

I hereby make a Public Challenge to all people on Planet Earth
to show me a card game that is more fun than this.

We looove games.
Especially when there are many many people playing. The more the merrier!
But how boring it gets when you sit there waiting forever for your turn.
We have games nights in sydney every second friday and it is a lot of fun,
but sometimes you fall asleep waiting for your turn, when there's 20 people ahead of you.
So we thought, hmmm, wouldn't it be better if there was an opportunity for any player
to be able to jump in at any given moment, and *steal* another player's turn.
This concept we call the *intercept*.

This could start a Worldwide Revolution in games.
Imagine, rather than a boring game where you wait for your turn
with however many players, if you could *intercept* anybody's turn at any moment.
Not only that, but any of the other players, could *intercept* your turn at any moment !

I can't imagine any card game could possibly beat this, however i'm open for options.
If you can possibly show me a more fun card game,
then we will play that game every games night.
Once you play this game with 10 players, you will agree, yes this is:
The Best Card Game In The World !

EQUIPMENT

All you need is between 4 and 50 people, and regular decks of cards.
At least 2 decks, but we recommend 3.
The wilder you want the game to get, simply add more decks of cards.

It's absolutely certain that the more people playing, the wilder this game is,
so gather as many people as possible to make it super fun.
We have played with approx 20 people. It's a disaster !

When we play the game with about 10 people, we use 3 decks of cards.
It is so much fun that we haven't even tried it yet with 4 decks.

To learn the game, it is a good idea to start with just 2 decks.

This is not a game of strategy, it is a game of speed.
People of all ages can play it, well maybe not if you're a hundred, because your
arm might get broken in the tornado of cards that go flying around the room.

HOW ?

Make sure the cards are well shuffled.
2 decks usually equals 108 cards.
3 decks usually equals 162 cards.

So if you have 10 players, then to learn, start with 2 decks,
so 10 cards each, and the last 8 to random people, it doesn't matter.

Once you understand how it works, then play with 3 decks,
so 15 cards each, and the last 6 to random people.

If you are a wild fun person, then let me know how it goes with 4 decks,
or even more. The wilder the better !

The objective of the game is to get rid of all your cards.
It is good practice to sort the cards into number order.

It doesn't matter if your neighbour can see your cards, because the second
it takes for them to look, somebody will have intercepted their turn - haha !
Some of our friends even lay half their cards face up in front of them!

This game doesn't bother with points, or complex rules,
snoozers... we're not 100 years old yet.

PLAY

(1) 
The game *starts* in a clockwise direction, but that probably won't last more than 1 player.

The first player puts down any card on the table, eg. a 4 of Hearts.

The player on their left can place on top of it any card 1 down or 1 up, of any suit,
eg. a 3 of Spades, or a 5 of Diamonds.

Then the next player on the left does the same, etc.

Sounds fun hey. Not.
That's like any other boring card game. This is where it gets interesting.


(2) 
At any given moment, any other player can *intercept* your turn,
by simply quickly placing down an Exact card as the current card on the pile.

eg. if there is a 4 of Hearts, any of the other players can *intercept* your turn
by placing down another 4 of Hearts before you place your 3 or 5 of any suit.

So if you play with 2 decks, at any given moment there will be 1 other 4 of Hearts
that somebody can *intercept* your turn with.

Or if you play with 3 decks, at any given moment there will be 2 other 4 of Hearts
that somebody can *intercept* your turn with.

Or if you use more decks, then it is a guaranteed tornado.


(3) 
If you are learning the game with just 2 decks, once somebody has *intercepted* your turn,
they can now take a breather and when they are ready, they can place Any card on top,
then play continues clockwise.

However if you use 3 decks, then somebody else can *intercept* the turn
from the person who *intercepted* the last turn.
If 3 of the same card are on top, then you can take a short moment to breathe.

However if you use more decks, then it will get really crazy.

CONTINUE

Once you have *intercepted* a turn, and started again with Any card,
you can actually *intercept* your own turn again, placing your doubles on the pile.
eg. If somebody placed a 4 of Hearts, you can *intercept* with this sequence of cards:
4 of Hearts, 9 of Spades, 9 of Spades, 5 of Diamonds, 5 of Diamonds,
and maybe end it with a 7 of Hearts.

However, if you are playing with three or more decks, at any given point somebody
could *intercept* your *interception* before you get all the cards down,
eg. somebody could throw a 9 of Spades to stop you from continuing.

Also, whenever you place multiple cards, you can only take one card at a time
from your hand, then reach back to your hand to throw the next one.
You've got to be quick!

JOKERS

Jokers can be thrown on the pile when it is your actual clockwise turn (which is quite rare).
After placing a joker, you can continue with any other card.
Once a joker is on the pile, others can *intercept* the turn with other jokers.

ENDING

As you throw your second last card, leaving you with one card in your hand,
you need to call out the name "Ashleigh!".
If another card goes on the pile without your saying "Ashleigh!",
then you must collect 10 penalty cards from the pile.

This is where you can actually call the game anything you like.
Each time we play the game, we actually give it a different name.
Once we played "Giovanna", another time "Priscilla", or "Simone".

Ashleigh is the name of my beloved niece.
As so many cards go flying during this game, we even call it "Tornado".

If it is your clockwise turn and you can't place a card on the pile,
simply say "pass", and the person to your left can continue.

Once you have placed your last card on the pile, either by "intercept" or by clockwise turn,
then you are the winner - hooray ! 

STRATEGY

Although this game is primarily a game of speed, there are a number of strategies that can
be employed. However i'm not going to name them here, you can work them out for yourself !

SIMPLE RULES 

This is the simple version of the rules:

- Shuffle and deal all cards, objective is to get rid of all cards
- First player puts down any card, eg. 4 of Hearts
- Player on left can place any card 1 down or 1 up, of any suit, eg. 3 of Spades

- To *intercept* means to jump in and *steal* another player's turn
- Any player can *intercept* a turn, with an Exact card as the current card on the pile
- eg. 4 of Hearts on a 4 of Hearts

- The interceptor continues with Any card
- You can also *intercept* yourself again with other doubles
- eg. *intercept* with 4 of Hearts, then 9 of Spades, 9 of Spades, then end with 7 of Hearts

- Only take one card at a time from your hand, then reach back to your hand for next one
- Jokers can be thrown on actual clockwise turn, then continue with any other card
- Once a joker is on pile, others can *intercept* with other jokers.

- Throwing second last card, leaving you with one card in your hand, call out "Ashleigh"
- If another card goes on the pile without saying "Ashleigh", then collect 10 penalty cards
- Laugh loud and long, thanking God for such a fun game





Try not to hurt anybody in the wild onslaught.
Love your neighbour as yourself.

Copyright © 2010-2070. Daniel Van Leeuwen. All Rights Reserved.
We encourage everybody in the world to play this game.
If you would like to copy the text from this page,
email me for permission on dan@danielofthelions.com.