3

Many card games are played using a double deck of 52+2 cards where the back colors are different (e.g., in Italy it's customary to have red and blue).

Is there any game, played with such a traditional set of cards, where the back's color is meaningful?

E.g., if I play a blue 7 of Spades the outcome could be different from playing a red 7 of Spades.

PS new to the site, I probably need help with tagging...

Improve this question
2
  • 1
    Double Solitaire utilizes the different backs to aid separating the decks between games, but that's not quite what you're looking for.
    – L. Scott Johnson
    Dec 6, 2019 at 13:00
  • Partially depends on what you mean by “meaningful”; the information could be used strategically to help with card counting in pretty much any game played with 2 different-colored decks.
    – GendoIkari
    Dec 8, 2019 at 14:56

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
4

Nertz requires a different color back (or back design) for each player to determine the score at the end of the game, so two-player Nertz would match your description.

Each player (team) scores one point for each of their own cards that they managed to play into the common area. To determine this, the foundation piles have to be sorted out according to the owners of the cards - this is why it is necessary that the decks have different backs.

Improve this answer
2
  • I have upvoted but, if I understand correctly, the cards are different when you count the points and not when you play them, aren't they?
    – gboffi
    Dec 12, 2019 at 22:01
  • Sure. Cards with one back score points for one player/team. Cards with the other back score points for the other player/team. You could score them as they are played (but then, you wouldn't need different backs). The backs determine whose hand they get played from, if that nuance/spin helps any -- the back influence play in that fashion. I'll concede that thats just splitting hairs, though.
    – L. Scott Johnson
    Dec 12, 2019 at 22:30
0

The card game Mao involves creating of rules at play time by the players, so rules involving the back patterns can be introduced if desired.

Improve this answer
2
  • I'm more interested in rules cast in stone. However I doubt that anyone else could upvote if you don't provide a reference to Mao.
    – gboffi
    Dec 12, 2019 at 21:59
  • The only rule of Mao that we are officially allowed to share is this one. At the risk of being called out and having to take a penalty next time I play though for explaining rules, I can tell you it is effectively a game like crazy eights or uno with several rules specific to the whims of whoever is hosting the game. The point is to confuse the other players as they try to understand and intuit the full list of rules being used to avoid taking penalties and call others out for breaking them. After each round, the winner gets to add an additional unspoken rule.
    – JMoravitz
    Dec 22, 2019 at 19:54

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .