Dialogues: Conversation Starter Playing Cards by Theory11

In an era where connection often feels fleeting, Dialogues invites us back to the table, to pause, to play, and to talk. Created by Unreasonable Hospitality in collaboration with theory11, this project reimagines the traditional deck of cards as a tool for genuine human connection. 

At first glance, Dialogues feels familiar... eye-catching tuck boxes, finely detailed faces, and the refined design language that theory11 is known for. But beneath the surface lies something quietly revolutionary. Each deck transforms the simple act of play into an experience of meaning and warmth. 

The concept is simple yet effective. Start any card game: Poker, Hearts, Crazy Eights, or Spades. Next, assign a suit or rank to trigger a question. When someone plays that card, they pause to answer one of two prompts printed on it. The result is a conversation that unfolds naturally through the rhythm of play, revealing laughter, memories, and new perspectives along the way. 

Each Dialogues set includes two decks: one designed for lighthearted icebreakers, the other for deeper, more personal reflections. Both share the same exquisite design sensibility... elegant typography, balanced layouts, and understated color palettes that make them a joy to handle and display. 

With Dialogues, conversation becomes part of the game. Available for $19.95 from theory11.

River Rats: A Whimsical Playing Cards Meets Strategic Card Game

Blending inventive game mechanics with charming artwork, River Rats is a fully custom deck and a cooperative poker-inspired game. Set aboard a futuristic luxury riverboat, players become part of the crew, working together to outplay their mechanical overlords... wealthy bionic River Rats who demand high-stakes poker games for entertainment.

More than just a novelty theme. River Rats is a fully-fledged hand-management game, where teamwork and strategic card play are key. Each player belongs to one of four animal-based crew factions—Otters (Spades), Bugs (Diamonds), Crocodiles (Hearts), and Birds (Clubs). Each with its own smart ability to shift the odds. Outsmart the Rich Rats with combo play and manipulation of poker hands before they trap you in debt.

Illustrated by Rixt Heerschop, the deck bursts with personality and vibrant, playful visuals. Each suit has its own cast of characters tied to riverboat roles, with transformational card art incorporating miniature suit symbols throughout. The Kings are arrogant bionic rats, the Aces represent players, and the number cards form the working crew. 

Two editions are available on Kickstarter- red or blue. In addition to the 52-card deck, the set includes two Jokers, reference cards, and a rulebook. For collectors, River Rats delivers a full custom experience with a distinct aesthetic and clear indices, making it suitable for standard gameplay as well. But it’s the integrated cooperative game and imaginative world-building that truly set this release apart!

The decks are printed by WJPC on their 300gsm German stock. Pledge starts at $17 on Kickstarter.

How to Play Old Maid

Old Maid is a simple and entertaining card game that can be played by two or more players. The objective of the game is to avoid being the player left holding the "Old Maid" card at the end. It is a great game for young children and families.

Setup

A standard 52-card deck is used, but one Queen is removed to create a single unmatchable "Old Maid" card.

The deck is shuffled, and all cards are dealt evenly among players.

Players check their hands and immediately discard any matching pairs (two cards of the same rank, regardless of suit).

The game begins with the player to the left of the dealer.

Gameplay

1. Taking a Card – On their turn, a player draws one card from the hand of the player to their right, without seeing it first.

2. Making Pairs – If the drawn card matches one already in the player's hand, they discard pair and remove it from the game.

3. Passing Turns – The turn moves to the next player, who then draws a card from the player on their right.

4. Avoiding the Old Maid – Since there is one unpaired card (the Old Maid), players must avoid being left with it when all other pairs have been removed.

5. Ending the Game – The game continues until all pairs have been discarded and only one card remains. The player holding the Old Maid loses the game.

Conclusion

Old Maid is a fun and fast-paced game that helps young players develop memory and matching skills. It is easy to learn and requires no complicated rules, making it a great choice for casual play with friends and family.

Card Game: Spoons

Spoons is a card game that can be played by two or more players. It is a fast-paced and exciting game that is perfect for a fun and energetic game night with friends or family.

Setup

To begin, all players sit in a circle, either around a table or on the ground. The dealer shuffles the deck thoroughly and deals four cards to each player. The remaining cards form a draw pile, placed to the dealer’s right.  In the center of the circle, spoons are arranged—one fewer spoon than the number of players.

Gameplay

The goal of Spoon is to be the first player to collect four cards of the same rank. Each player starts by picking up their cards and examining them. The dealer initiates the round by drawing the top card from the draw pile, adding it to their hand, and deciding quickly whether to keep it. If the card matches one they already hold, they keep it; otherwise, they discard it to the left. After discarding, the dealer ensures they always hold exactly four cards.

The next player picks up the discarded card from the dealer and repeats the process, discarding one card to their left. This cycle continues around the circle, with each player picking up a card from the person to their right and discarding one to the left. The objective is to collect four cards of the same rank in your hand as quickly as possible. Once a player achieves this, they grab one of the spoons from the center.

The moment a spoon is taken, the rest of the players scramble to grab one of the remaining spoons. The player who fails to grab a spoon earns a letter in the word “spoons.” Each round, the game progresses until a player spells out S-P-O-O-N-S and is eliminated. The last remaining player is the winner.

Strategy

As the dealer, it is essential to pick up and discard cards quickly, keeping the game dynamic and exciting. There is no need to wait for the first card to circulate through the players—maintain a steady pace to add an element of urgency. Switching dealers after each round keeps the game fair and engaging for everyone.

If the draw pile is depleted, the dealer can start drawing cards from the discarded pile on their right. For players who achieve four of a kind, there are two strategies to consider: grabbing a spoon overtly to trigger a chaotic scramble or sneaking a spoon discreetly to test how long it takes others to notice.

Another clever tactic is to fake grabbing a spoon to trick other players. If anyone touches a spoon without having four of a kind, the round ends immediately, and that person earns a letter. This strategy can create opportunities to outwit opponents and add an extra layer of fun to the game.

Overall

Spoons is a fast-paced, lively game that combines quick thinking and strategy with moments of pure chaos and laughter. The simplicity of its setup and rules makes it accessible to players of all ages, while the competitive element of grabbing spoons keeps everyone engaged. Whether you’re sneaking a spoon, faking out your opponents, or rushing to avoid elimination, Spoons guarantees plenty of fun and excitement!

Card Game: Bullsh*t

Bullshit is a card game that can be played by two or more players. It is a simple and fun game that is perfect for a casual game night with friends or family.

Setup

To play Bullshit, you will need a standard deck of 52 cards. Shuffle the cards and deal out ALL of the cards to the players. The players should not look at their cards.

Gameplay

The goal of Bullshit is to be the first player to get rid of all of your cards. To begin, the player to the left of the dealer starts by placing any number of cards face down on the table and announcing a rank, such as "four aces." 

The next player must then either place a matching set of cards on the table, or call out "bullshit" if they think the previous player was lying about the rank of the cards.

If the next player calls out "bullshit," the player who placed the cards on the table must reveal their cards. If the cards match the announced rank, the player who called out "bullshit" must take all of the cards on the table into their hand. If the cards do not match the announced rank, the player who placed the cards on the table must take all of the cards on the table into their hand.

The game continues in this manner, with players placing cards on the table and calling out "bullshit" as needed. The first player to get rid of all of their cards wins the game.

Overall

Bullshit is a simple and enjoyable card game that is perfect for a casual game night with friends or family. It is easy to learn and quick to play, making it a great choice for players of all skill levels.

Card Game: How to Play Big Two

One of our favourite to card game to play during Lunar New Year! Big two (also known as deuces, capsa, pusoy dos, dai di and other names) is a shedding-type card game of Cantonese origin. The game is popular in East Asia and Southeast Asia, especially throughout mainland China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Macau, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore.

It is a fast-paced game, and it is fun to play between four players. In this card game, the 2s are the highest ranking card.

Setup

To play Big 2, you will need a standard deck of 52 cards and a scoring pad. Shuffle and deal out all of the cards to the four players. The scoring pad is used to keep track of the player's scores. 

For this game, the suit ranks is as followed: DIAMONDS ♦ < CLUBS ♣ < HEARTS ♥ < SPADES ♠. The highest value is 2 and the lowest value is 3: 2, A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3. 

Gameplay

The goal of the game is to be the player with the highest point after a certain amount of game rounds OR the player who reached the pre-determined goal points in the end. Each player would try to be the first to play all the cards on their hands to get points, because the players who still have cards on their hands will get penalty points.

Whoever holds the Three of Diamonds will go first, and the turn goes clockwise. The starting player will choose the way to start - single, pair, triplet or five-cards hand, then other players will have to follow that combination. 

Single         3♦ Lowest

Pair             4♥ 4♣ Low

Triplet         6♠ 6♣ 6♦ Medium-Low

Straight         6♠ 7♦ 8♠ 9♦ 10♣     Medium

Flush         2♠ 3♠ Q♠ 6♠ K♠     Medium

Full House J♦ J♥ J♣ 5♠ 5♥     Medium-High

Four of a Kind 7♥ 7♠ 7♦ 7♣ 8♠       High

Straight Flush 9♣ 10♣ J♣ Q♣ K♣ Highest

There are multiple five-card combinations that can be played during such a turn. In ascending order of value, they are: Straight, Flush, Full House, Four of a Kind, Straight Flush. See all combinations here!

If three players consecutively can't do the specified combination, the last player can change the card combination. The game keeps on going until a player empties their hands.

Scoring

Big 2 is played across multiple rounds using a points-based system. The game ends when a predetermined score or time limit is reached, and the player with the lowest score emerges as the winner. This is a losing points game, where players cannot gain points, and a score of 0 represents a perfect win.

When a player successfully sheds all their cards, the remaining players incur a penalty of one point for each card left in their hands.

Additional penalties apply for holding many cards at the end of a round. If a player has 10 to 12 cards remaining, their penalty is doubled. If all 13 cards are still in hand, indicating they couldn’t shed even one card, they receive a triple penalty, amounting to 39 points.

Strategies

To elevate Big 2 gameplay, consider exploring advanced strategies. Since only one deck is used, card counting is a viable technique in Big 2. While it requires a sharp memory, you already know the cards in your hand, leaving 41 others to keep track of.

As the game unfolds, observe the cards your opponents play. By tracking these, you can form a clearer picture of the cards still in play. While this knowledge won’t guarantee a win, it can help you make smarter decisions about when to shed your cards or pass your turn.

Overall

Big 2 is a fast-paced game that can be played by people of all ages. The setup is simple with the gameplay is easy to learn. It is a good game to be played during parties, casual night game with family and friends.

Card Game: Where Cards Fall

Where Cards Fall, originally released on Apple Arcade in 2019, has now made its way to the Nintendo Switch and PC. This unique puzzle game offers a heartfelt coming-of-age story, presented as brief memories of a young protagonist’s life. However, the placement of these memories hinders the pacing of the game, which may cause players to focus solely on the puzzles rather than the narrative.

Gameplay

The game requires players to navigate through small areas using cards that expand into various buildings, each with different symbols. While the game introduces new mechanics such as gusts of wind, the puzzles’ scale remains relatively small.

Unfortunately, the protagonist’s movement is quite rigid and lacks fluidity, making it challenging to maneuver. The cards, on the other hand, offer smooth movement, but selecting the correct deck can be a challenge.

Where Cards Fall’s design is visually appealing, with each diorama possessing a dreamlike quality and a simplistic design to capture the environment’s essence. The ambiance is created by the almost therapeutic score, which conveys emotions effectively, despite the lack of dialogue.

Conclusion

Overall, Where Cards Fall is a lovely puzzler that fails to capitalize on its innovative premise due to fiddly controls that mar the experience. While the puzzles offer a suitable level of challenge, they fail to deliver any truly memorable moments.

Although the developer aims to tell a sympathetic narrative, its delivery lacks the nuances required to engage the audience. Despite this, the game has the potential to be an ace in the hole, but several issues leave it in the lurch.

Card Game: Card Shark

If you’re tired of the same old card games, Card Shark might just be the breath of fresh air you need. Unlike online deck building games to create lethal combinations (Hearthstone Marvel Snap…), Card Shark is all about cheating your opponents and getting away with it.

Set in 17th century France during the reign of Louis XV, you play as a young mute boy who is taken under the wing of the talented trickster, Comte de Saint-Germain. As his apprentice, you must learn to cheat and survive, even as the King’s lackeys are hot on your trail.

Every encounter in Card Shark requires a new card technique, which ranges from simple to increasingly difficult to pull off and remember. You’ll learn shuffling techniques, sleight-of-hand movements, and even some fencing tactics. The story beats come as a welcome reprieve between your studying, as you strive to memorize the intricate moves needed to successfully cheat your opponents.

Gameplay

Developed for PC, Mac and Nintendo Switch, one of the standout features of Card Shark is how the gamepad mimics character actions. Each trick you learn corresponds with your actions, requiring precise movements in a small amount of time. Practising these sleight-of-hand movements with a real deck of cards is the closest comparison to playing this game. It’s an ingenious system, and every trick is different. However, it’s best played with a controller. Using keyboard is not as natural and seem to make it much harder to execute some of the actions.

The things with Card Shark that it’s not a game you can step away from for too long and come back to easily. I struggled trying to recall how to do a trick, especially for stages with time pressure. Also, the game also limits your options to just three techniques each time you try to earn a little cash in-between the main story. With 28 tricks to learn, you’ll have to work hard to keep everything straight in your mind.

Playing Card Shark is a nerve-racking experience in all the best ways. Each trick has its own mechanics to master, requiring genuine thought and a calm temperament. You’ll hold fingers up, in-jog cards, raise and lower them, dog-ear them, and even pick them up from the left or right. Every trick has a depth to it that’s reminiscent of pulling off magic in reality.

Visually, the game’s artwork is charming and expressive, and the music is delightful. While the story is about the struggling success of a young boy in an unforgiving world, the characters are surprisingly amusing and there are some laugh out loud moments.

Conclusion

Desfinitely a great game that is both challenging and fun. The mechanics are unique and well thought out, the story is engaging, and the visuals and music are a delight. While it may not be a game you can pick up and put down easily, it’s worth the effort to learn and master the various techniques. Whether you’re a fan of card enthusiast, card games or just looking for a new challenge, Card Shark is definitely worth checking out.

Solitaire-17 by Stockholm17 on Apple App Store

Wow…! Stockholm17 has officially released Solitaire-17 a fun and engaging solitaire game to play on your IOS device. You can now play the classic solitaire game (Klondike variant, one card) with custom-designed decks by Lorenzo Gaggiotti on your iPhone, iPad and Android.

One of the best things about Solitaire Deluxe is the beautiful 3D graphics and animations. Plus, the game is free to download, free to play, and free from ads. The cards are large and easy to read, and the animations are smooth and fluid. You start with 3 unlocked decks, including the Brass Monkey from the Odd Fellows. The other two decks are designed exclusively for high clarity on mobile and tablet.

You can buy more custom decks available through in-app purchases. Decks include the odd-shaped 17th Kingdom Experimental, Eye of the Ocean, and even the rare 52 Plus Joker 2022 playing cards. Once purchased, you can navigate your collection and preview the deck and each of the individual cards.

The Solitaire17 app is visually stunning and comes with high-quality custom deck images that make the game incredibly fun and addictive to play. The 3D view of the table is a nice touch a brings a touch of realism to the game.

It’s actually quite cool to see your favorite Stockholm17 decks on screen. The interface is stylish and intuitive. The game plays smoothly and the POV gives it a very unique perspective instead of the traditional top-down view on most apps.

Overall, a fantastic solitaire game app for IOS. With beautiful graphics and customizable decks, it’s a great choice for anyone who loves solitaire. Download now on Apple’s app store here, and Google play store here!

Card Game: The Best Poker Hand Combinations

Take your card game nights to the next level! Poker hand rankings are a crucial tool for making informed decisions while playing poker. These rankings classify the strength of various poker hands and are used in many popular poker games such as Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and 3-card poker.

For those looking to improve their chances of winning, it’s essential to understand the poker hand rankings system. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the top five-card poker hand combinations to give you an edge at the table. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, this guide will help you master the poker hand rankings and increase your chances of success at the table.

The strongest to weakest Poker-hand rankings

1. The Royal Flush: The Ultimate Poker Hand

The royal flush is the highest possible ranking in a game of poker. It consists of five consecutive cards of the same suit, ranging from 10 to ace.

2. Straight Flush: Almost as Good as a Royal Flush

A straight flush is a hand that contains five cards of sequential values in the same suit, but is not a royal flush. It is only beaten by a royal flush or another straight flush with higher-ranking cards.

3. Four of a Kind: Four of a Good Thing

Four of a kind is a hand that contains four cards of the same rank, with the fifth card being the highest rank among the remaining cards on the table or in your hand.

4. Full House: A Combination of Three of a Kind and a Pair

A full house is a hand that includes three cards of the same rank in three different suits (three of a kind) and a separate pair of the same rank in two different suits. When multiple players have a full house, the winning hand is determined by the highest value three of a kind.

5. Flush: All in the Same Suit

A flush is a hand that contains five cards of the same suit, regardless of their order. When two players have flushes, the one with the highest-valued card is the winning hand.

6. Straight: Sequential Numerical Values Across Suits

A straight is a hand that consists of five cards of sequential numerical value but is made up of more than one suit. An ace can typically rank as either high (above a king) or low (below a 2), but not both in the same hand.

7. Three of a Kind: Trio of Matching Rank

A three-of-a-kind is a hand that contains three cards of the same rank in three different suits. The remaining two cards in the hand are the highest-ranked cards available.

8. Two Pairs: Double the Pairs, Double the Fun

A two-pair hand contains two different sets of two cards with matching ranks. The highest-ranked remaining card completes the hand.

9. Pair: A Single Set of Matching Rank

A paired hand consists of two cards of the same rank in different suits. The remaining three cards in the hand are the highest-ranked cards available.

10. High Card: When All Else Fails

The high card hand is the lowest-ranked hand of them all. It consists of the highest card in the hand, with the remainder of the cards being of lower rank. In this case, the highest card is the king of spades.