Book Store
This rummy style game is a Game Rules Guru original created by Steve Wannall.
Number of Players
2 – 6
Deck
A standard deck of 52 playing cards, jokers removed. Cards rank 2-A (low to high)
Deal
Each player is dealt 5 cards face-down 1 at a time, and 1 final card face-up in front of them. The face-up card will be their “purchase” card. The dealer then deals 1 more card face-up into a discard pile in the center of the table. The remaining cards become a stockpile and are placed next to the discard pile.
Play
Play starts with the player to the dealer’s left. Each player begins their turn by drawing 1 card from the stockpile. That player may now make one (and only one) of the three following plays:
“Purchase” any card from the discard pile with their purchase card. To do this, a player merely puts a card from the discard pile into their hand, and replaces it with their purchase card. The only condition for making a purchase is that the card being purchased must be equal or lower in value to the purchase card. The exception to this rule is purchasing an ace. Since aces are the highest card, they may purchase any other card (including other aces), but may only be purchased by deuces (a deuce therefore, may only purchase aces or other deuces). Once a purchase has been made, the player immediately chooses a new card from their hand to become their purchase card (placing it face-up in front of them). The new purchase card may be the card that was just purchased if the player so desires.
Trade their purchase card for another player’s purchase card. This is still treated as a purchase, meaning the opposing player’s purchase card is placed in the active player’s hand and then replaced by that player’s own purchase card. Again, the player selects a new purchase card from their hand to place face-up in front of them.
Exchange their purchase card with a different card from their hand. If a player cannot make a purchase (or simply doesn’t choose to), they may put their purchase card into their hand and replace it with a different card from their hand.
A player’s turn ends when they discard a single card from their hand to the discard pile (leaving them with 5 cards in hand, and 1 purchase card on the table). If a player chooses, they may also forego any of the above actions by simply drawing a card and then discarding a card of their choice.
Object
Players are attempting to be the first to make a rummy-style “book” consisting of 4 cards from their hand. A successful book will consist of either a set of 4 cards all of the same rank (example: 8, 8, 8, 8), or a sequence of 4 cards of the same suit (example: 2, 3, 4, 5 of spades). A player can only win on their turn. To win the game, a player places their completed 4-card book face-up on the table in front of them, and discards their remaining cards.