Phase 10!

Technorati Tags: Contract Rummy,Phase 10,Wild cards,Skip cards

Some time ago I was invited over to a friend’s house for a get together, it was one of those occasions when board and card games are brought out and guests invited to pass the time away playing highly sociable games in a friendly atmosphere. Among the games brought out was this special deck of cards, a game called Phase 10.

Phase 10 is essentially a contract rummy game, were on each round players must achieve certain contract conditions, like say two sets of three cards. The Phase 10 card pack is made up of two special decks which together comprise 96 number cards, numbered 1 to 12 (in four colours, two of each), 8 Wild cards and 4 skip cards. This gives a total of 108 cards.

The Wild cards are the “Joker” cards in this game. They can be used to make up any contract and a player may use more than one Wild card to complete his contract, so long as he has at least one natural card in a set or contract. Once employed in a contract or set, a Wild card cannot be removed to be used elsewhere. If the Dealer starts the discard pile with a Wild card, then  the first player to play may pick it up immediately and add it to his hand.

The Skip cards are very unique in both their function and their rarity,  you only get 4 in the whole deck. When a player is dealt a Skip card, or picks a Skip cards from the stockpile, he may use it on his turn to force any designated opponent to lose one turn. Once discarded, a Skip card cannot be collected by subsequent players.

The ten contracts or phases in Phase 10 are as follows:-

• Phase 1: 2 sets of 3
• Phase 2: 1 set of 3 and 1 run of 4
• Phase 3: 1 set of 4 and 1 run of 4
• Phase 4: 1 run of 7
• Phase 5: 1 run of 8
• Phase 6: 1 run of 9
• Phase 7: 2 sets of 4
• Phase 8: 7 cards of one colour
• Phase 9: 1 set of 5 and 1 set of 2
• Phase 10: 1 set of 5 and 1 set of 3

Phases need to be completed in order. Once a phase is completed the player must lay his completed phase and then try to discard his remaining cards by laying them onto phases already laid on the table. The player who successfully gets rid of all his cards following the completion of a phase wins that hand. Any cards left in hand when a player goes out are scored against the player holding them. Card points are as follows:-

• 5 points for each card with value 1 to 9.
• 10 points for each card with value 10 to 12.
• 15 points for a Skip.
• 25 points for a Wild.

The player who completes all 10 Phases at the end of a hand wins the game. If two players complete all 10 phases then the player with the lower point score will win.

It may be possible to play Phase 10 using standard cards but you would have to create your deck from two standard decks of cards with at least two jokers per deck. Ideally the decks you use should have the same back colour and designs. To build your Phase 10 deck, do the following:-

1. Pool the two decks together making sure you also include the four Jokers.
2. The four Jokers in the newly formed composite deck will serve as the Skip cards in Phase 10.
3. The 8 Jacks will serve as the Wild cards in Phase 10

As for card points, you need to take note of the following:-

• 5 points for each card value 1 to 9 of any suit.
• 10 points for each card of Ten, Queen(11) and King(12) of any suit.
• 15 points for a Joker of any suit.
• 25 points for a Jack.

Phases can be followed exactly as per regular Phase 10 with the exception of Phase 8 which would then involve 7 cards in one suit rather than one colour.

Phase 10 takes time to play, but the purpose of these types of cards game is to bring friends and family together around a table for some wholesome competitive fun.