CardsEasy7.5· BGG rating

Skull King

A trick-taking card game where you have to predict exactly how many bases you will win — not one more, not one less.

Players: 2–8
Playing time: 30–45 min
Min. age: 8+
Year: 2013
Designer: Brent Beck

Official rulebook

TypeCards

ComplexityEasy

BGG7.5

Setup

Shuffle the deck of 66 cards: numbered 1 to 13 in four suits, plus special cards (Pirates, Mermaids, Skull King, Mocking Tiger and White Flag).
In round 1, 1 card is dealt per player; in round 2, 2 cards; and so on until round 10, where each player receives 10 cards.
Designate a pointer for the entire game.

Rules

At the start of each round, all players simultaneously reveal how many bases they expect to win by holding up the fingers of their closed hand.
Cards are played in turn order; whoever plays the highest ranked card of the starting suit, or a higher ranked special card, wins the round.
Hierarchy: Skull King > Pirate > Mermaid > black cards > colored cards. Exception: The Mermaid beats the Skull King if there is no Pirate in the draw.

Victory conditions

If you get the prediction right, you get 20 points for each base won (or 10 points if you predicted 0 and won none). If you fail, you subtract 10 points for each basis of difference. Whoever accumulates the most points at the end of 10 rounds wins.