Ruckus is a fast-paced card game that is perfect for gatherings with family and friends. It is played with a standard deck of 52 playing cards and can accommodate up to 6 players. The objective of the game is to be the first player to get rid of all the cards in your hand by making strategic moves and trying to block your opponents. Below are the simple and easy-to-follow instructions on how to play Ruckus.

Setup:

1. Shuffle the deck of cards thoroughly and deal 7 cards to each player, face down. These cards will become the player’s hand for the game.
2. Place the remaining cards in a pile in the center of the playing area, face down. This will be the draw pile for the game.

Gameplay:

1. The player to the left of the dealer goes first and the game proceeds in a clockwise direction.
2. On their turn, a player can make one of three moves: a. Play a card from their hand on top of the discard pile. The card played must be of the same suit or rank as the top card of the discard pile. For example, if the top card is a 7 of hearts, the player can play any 7s or any hearts from their hand. Aces are considered wild and can be played on any card. b. Draw a card from the draw pile and add it to their hand. c. Use a special card. There are 4 special cards in Ruckus:

• 2 of clubs: When this card is played, the player can choose any suit to be the new active suit. The next player must play a card of the chosen suit.
• 8 of spades: This card skips the turn of the next player.
• Jack of diamonds: When this card is played, the player can choose an opponent to take 5 cards from the draw pile and add them to their hand.
• Queen of hearts: This card reverses the direction of play, so the next player in line after the current player goes next.

3. If a player cannot make any of the above moves, they must pass their turn.

Special Rules:

1. If a player plays a card with the same rank as the top card of the discard pile, the next player must play a card with the same rank or pass. This continues until a player is unable to play a card with the same rank.
2. If a player plays an 8 of spades, the player after the next player is skipped, and the turn moves to the player after that.
3. If a player plays a Jack of diamonds, the opponent chosen must take their turn immediately after drawing 5 cards.
4. If a player plays a Queen of hearts, the next player in line goes next, and play continues in reverse order until another Queen of hearts is played.
5. If the draw pile runs out, shuffle the discard pile and use it as the new draw pile.

Ending the Game: The game ends when one player successfully gets rid of all the cards in their hand. If a player has one card left and they are able to play it, they must declare “Ruckus” to win the game. If a player runs out of cards but forgets to say “Ruckus,” they must take 5 cards from the draw pile and continue playing. If the draw pile is depleted and no one has won, the player with the fewest cards in their hand wins the game. In case of a tie, the player who has the most cards of one suit in their hand wins.

Now that you know how to play Ruckus, gather your friends and family and have a blast playing this exciting card game! Remember to shuffle the cards thoroughly before each game for maximum unpredictability. Have fun and may the best player win!