This Casino variant uses two standard 52-card decks, flushed together, and a 60-hole Cribbage board. (If you only have a 120-hole board, start in hole 60.)
The game can be played by two, by three, by four individually, or by four in crosswise partnerships. When playing with three or four individually, a Cribbage board with three or four tracks is required.
Each card has a pip value, which is considered when making a capture. 2 to 10 are worth their face value in pips, a Jack is 11 pips, a Queen 12, a King 13, an Ace 1 or 14 at the player's choice, a Deuce of Spades (2♠) 2 or 15, and a Ten of Diamonds (10♦) 10 or 16.
Deal
A first dealer is chosen through any method. The dealer shuffles the cards, the player to dealer's right cuts, and 5 cards are dealt to each player and 4 (2 or 4 players) or 5 (3 players) are dealt face up to the table. When all cards have been played, 5 more cards are dealt to each player. This continues until the deck is exhausted. (With 3 players, each player will only get 3 cards on the last round.)
Play
Beginning with forehand (the player to dealer's left) and going clockwise, players take turns playing cards from their hands to the table, one at a time. A played card may capture other cards: a card with the same rank as the played card, a group of cards whose pip sum matches the played card, or a combination of matching cards and groups. The played card and all matching cards are captured, and stored face down in a pile.
If a capture isn't made, the played card is simply put face up on the table.
When playing a card, it is not obligatory to make all possible captures. For example, with 5♣ 5♣ on the hand and 5♦ on the table, a player may choose to play one of the fives without capturing anything, in hopes of setting up a mulle.
Unlike most other forms of Casino, there is no "building".
Point cards
Each Ace is worth 1 point, each 2♠ 1 point, and each 10♦ 2 points. When any point cards are captured, its points are immediately recorded.
Sweeps and mullar
If a card captures all cards on the table, the player scores 1 point for a sweep (called tabbe in Swedish). The next player in turn has to play a card without capturing.
If a card captures its duplicate (same rank and suit), and no other cards are captured with the pair, the player scores 3 points for a mulle (plural: mullar).
It's possible to score a sweep and a mulle in the same move, for a total of 4 points.
Like point cards, sweeps and mullar are scored as soon as they are made.
End of a deal
The deal is over when all 104 cards have been played. The last player to make a capture scores 1 additional point; this can be combined with the score for a sweep or mulle.
If there are any cards left face up on the table, they are captured by the last player to make a capture; however, this doesn't count as a sweep on its own.
After the last capture has been scored, each player goes through their pile of captured cards and counts the number of spade cards. The player or team with the most spades scores 1 point. If there's a tie for most spades, this point is not scored. (There is no bonus for capturing the most cards, as in most forms of Casino.)
Forehand becomes the dealer of the next deal. As many deals as necessary are played until a player or team wins by reaching 61 points (one lap on the Cribbage board). The game ends immediately when 61 points are scored, even if it's in the middle of a deal.
This page was last updated 2018-05-14.