I always have a deck of cards handy, whether riding the tube, camping, or away on vacation.
They’re a great way to pass the time when you’re bored of looking at screens and want to do something more interactive with your family and friends.
Eleven card game is an excellent example of this.
This card game is so great for families because it’s easy to learn, can be inclusive of people of all abilities, and is even educational, making it a perfect game to introduce to the kiddie winks.
So if you’re looking for a game similar to Solitaire that will also help your kids brush up on their mathematical skills, you’ve come to the right place.
Keep reading to learn all the rules and how to play Eleven’s card game.
What You’ll Need to Play?
To play Eleven’s, you’ll first want to grab yourself a deck of cards, which, in case you haven’t already got one, you can pick up on Amazon. I love these Garfield-themed cards, my kids love them, and they also come in a ton of other cool designs.
Once you’ve got your cards, you’ll need to remove all the face cards, leaving you with cards numbered 1-10.
You’ll also want to ensure you’ve got a large flat surface to play on, such as a dining table or even on the floor.
Lastly, you need a group of players. It doesn’t need to be too big, though, as Eleven’s can be played with as little as two players.
Alright, you’re ready to play!
The Objective of Eleven’s Card Game
I love playing Eleven’s card game because of its simplicity and the fact it can be with few or many players.
The aim of the game is to clear the playing area by deducting cards from the table that add up to eleven.
For example, a nine and a two, or a six and a five. Remember, all the face cards have been removed from the deck, so you don’t need to worry about these confusing matters. Keep the aces, though; they’re classed as one, and can be paired with a ten to be removed from the table.
Setting Up Eleven’s Card Game
Start by shuffling the deck of cards. If you’re a bit rubbish at this, you can always get an automatic card shuffler, they’re easy to use, and the kids love them too.
Now you’ve got your cards shuffled, select a dealer. If this is you, you’ll need to dish out nine cards to the table, face up for all to see in a 3×3 grid.
Place the rest of the cards face down next to the playing area. This is now your stockpile or draw deck.
Eleven’s Gameplay
Starting with the player sitting to the dealer’s left, remove two cards from the grid that add up to 11.
You must draw a card from the stockpile if you can’t do this.
If you can use this to match with a card from the grid adding up to 11, then go for it. However, if you can’t, the card is added to the grid, and your turn is over.
If you were able to match two cards during your turn, they are removed from the grid, placed to one side, and replaced with two new cards from the stockpile.
The game now continues to the next player to the left, and the same rules apply. The game continues in this manner until no more cards can be removed and the stockpile is empty. If either of these things happens, the game is over.
Scoring
For every card you remove from the grid, you earn a point. So make sure you keep the cards you’ve removed to one side so you can count them up at the end.
The scoring process is very straightforward. All cards are worth one point, except for the ten, which is worth two points.
Whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins.
You can play in rounds if you like and have an overall winner at the end of gameplay.
Other Variations of Eleven’s Card Game
I recently discovered many more versions of Eleven’s card game, so if you outplay this one, you can change things up a bit and keep it interesting.
1. Reverse Eleven’s
Reverse Eleven’s card game is played exactly the same as the original version of the game. However, you’re prohibited from using the tens as part of a match to make eleven.
2. Double Eleven’s
All of the rules of Standard Eleven’s card game apply to this version. However, you can make matches up to 22 instead of 11. This means the game moves a little quicker as there are more chances to make a match.
3. Eleven’s Solitaire
If you find yourself without a group or partner, don’t be deterred because there’s a way you can enjoy Eleven’s card game as a single-player game. You will still need to clear the grid; the same rules apply. However, you won’t be competing for points at the end of the game.
4. Eleven’s With a Twist
This is an exciting take on the game, in which the rules are generally the same, and you still attempt to pair cards up to the value of eleven. However, you can also make matches of cards that add up to multiples of eleven, such as 22 or 44. This adds an extra element of challenge to the game.
Summary
Eleven’s is an entertaining, thought-provoking card game that you may play in pairs or a larger group.
By removing a pair of cards that total eleven, the goal is to clear the grid of cards eventually.
The game is simple to learn. However, it does require a small amount of strategy and logical thought to master.
Overall, Eleven’s card game is a fun and engaging card game that players of all ages and skill levels can enjoy.
Whether you’re looking for a quick and simple game to play alone or with friends, or you want to challenge yourself with a more complex variation, Eleven is a great choice.
