Dealt! (2018) Board Game

Dealt! is a card game designed by Katja Stremmel and released in in 2018. It is a game that requires strategic thinking and skillful hand management to outwit your opponents and emerge victorious. With a runtime of 30 minutes and designed for 3-5 players aged 10 and above, Dealt! is a fun and engaging game for players of all skill levels.

## Game Components of Dealt!
– Deck of cards
– Reserve cards
– Chips (life tokens)
– Special cards: Stop, Redraw, and Wild cards.

## How To Setup Dealt!
Each player receives a hand of cards, the order of which they cannot change. For a 5-player game, each player gets 7 cards; otherwise, each player gets 10 cards. Two reserve cards are placed face-up in front of each player. Players start with 2 or 3 chips, depending on the desired game length.

## Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
– **Card Order**: Players cannot rearrange their cards; they must play cards in the order they were dealt.
– **Combinations**: Players can lay down single cards, pairs, triples, or runs of two or three consecutive cards.
– **Trick Taking**: Each player must beat the previous combination or pick up a reserve card if they cannot.
– **Special Cards**:
– **Stop**: Immediately ends the trick, and the player who played it starts the next trick.
– **Redraw**: The winner of the trick draws three additional cards, which they can place anywhere in their hand.
– **Wild**: Can take on any value.
– **Objective**: The goal is to avoid being the last player with cards in their hand. The game ends when one player loses all their chips.

## Player Experience
Dealt is a game that forces players to think strategically about the order of their cards and how to build combinations without rearranging their hand. The game is visually appealing with bold, clean lines and bright colors, making it a pleasant addition to any gaming table. The gameplay is engaging, especially with the unique mechanic of not being able to organize your cards, which adds a layer of complexity and challenge.

### Pros
– **Unique Gameplay Mechanic**: The inability to rearrange cards adds a fresh twist to traditional trick-taking games.
– **Visual Appeal**: The game’s clean and simple design makes it visually appealing.
– **Portability**: The game is compact and easy to transport.
– **Accessibility**: It is easy to teach to both hobby gamers and newcomers.

### Cons
– **Learning Curve**: The unique mechanic can take some time to get used to, requiring players to rethink their card game strategies.
– **Luck Element**: The random draw of cards can sometimes leave players with unfavorable combinations.

## Personal Thoughts on Dealt!
Dealt is ideal for players who enjoy trick-taking games but are looking for a new challenge. It is a great introduction to hobby gaming for those who are new, as it balances simplicity with depth. The game’s portability and ease of setup make it a great addition to any game collection, and its unique mechanics ensure that each game is different and engaging.

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