For a description of how to make the materials needed for this game, see  Homemade Games for Kids .

Shuffle the color cards, and deal them face down to all players until all cards have been dealt.  Players are not to look at the color cards, but place them face down in a pile to their left.  The deck of playing cards are to be shuffled, and ten cards dealt to each player.  The players may look at the playing cards, and should arrange them so that all cards of the same number are grouped together.  They should not show their cards to the other players.

After dealing out ten cards to each player, place the remaining cards in the middle of the playing area, and turn one up.  The player to the left of the dealer goes first.

The object of the game is to gain as many books as possible before going out.  A book is a group of four cards that are the same, for example four nines or four jacks.  In this particular game, one may make a book of any group of four cards, except aces.

During a turn, the player must either draw one card from the draw pile, or may take the card on top of the discard pile.  The goal is to keep those cards which can help makes books, and discard cards which don't seem to contribute to that goal.  During a turn, the player draws a card from either pile, and must discard either the card he drew, or another card from his hand.  If after drawing and discarding the player has obtained a book, that book is laid on the table in front of him.

Every time a book is made, the player who made it turns over a colored card and places it on the table in front of him.  Play then proceeds to the next player.

The purpose of the colored cards is to allow players to "steal" books from other players.  Certain sequences of color cards allow different amounts of books to be stolen, as follows:

2 of same color in a row - steal one book
3 of same color in a row - steal two books
4 of same color in a row - steal three books
Combination of 1 of each primary color - take all the books from one player

What do I mean by sequences?  If player one has a blue turned up, and then player two turns up a blue also, that is 2 of same color in a row, and player 2 can steal one book from anyone he wants.

There comes a point after several books have been made that players do not have enough cards in their hand to make more books.  For that reason, each time a player draws an ace from the draw pile, they are required to draw another card from the draw pile, and discard the ace into the discard pile.  In this way, more books can be made.  After the draw pile has been exhausted, it is re-shuffled and placed in the center of the playing area to be used again.

One rule to remember:  in order for a player to "go out" that player MUST have one card left to discard at the end of his turn.  If one has four cards which make a book, but no discard, he cannot go out.  He must discard one of the four, and continue with play until he can draw an ace and another card to use as a discard.

After someone goes out, then number of books on the table in front of him is the number of points he has earned.  Keep score on a piece of paper, and set a score which someone must reach in order to win, such as 50 points.

One point about the colored cards:  As card number two is turned over, it is placed on top of card number one so that only the color of card number two shows.  It is only the color on the top card that is counted when making combinations.

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