Kings in the Corner Card Game
In the 1910s, the Grey family using the SS Suevic board came up with this game.
There are various name variations of Kings in the Corner like King in a Corner, Kings Corners and King’s Corner. Even though it’s scarcely featured in American card game books, it is quite popular in North America.
It is a snappy card game reminiscent to solitaire, but at the end of the game only one winner comes out.
Let’s see how Kings in the Corner goes about.
Kings in the Corner Rules
- A standard deck of 52 playing cards
- 2-4 players
- A flat surface
Deal
7 cards are dealt to each player at the table, one card in succession at a time. The dealing will occur in a clockwise manner where the player sitting on the left being the first to receive the cards. Those cards that remain will be put in the middle of the table. The dealer will then flip one card and place it in the east, west, north, and south of the remaining deck of cards. In case a king crops up, it will be moved to one of the corners of the deck and another new card will be turned to fill its place.
What is the objective of Kings in the Corner?
It is to become the first player to play all the cards in the middle.
Gameplay
The player sitting on the left side of the dealer is usually the first one to commence playing. A player usually draws a card from the deck of cards to begin a turn. The individual playing will play cards onto the faced up cards that are located in the middle position. Cards will be played in a decreasing sequence, starting from the king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and ace.
While observing such a sequence, only the opposite color suit will be put on top of the other. For instance, a red queen will be played on a black king. A black ten will be played on a red jack. A red ace will be played on a black two. At each turn, players are free to play with plenty of cards as they wish. A player will then announce when through so that play can continue to the next player.
In any of the empty corners that face the middle deck, a player can place a king. An individual can take a pile of cards and move it to another new pile if it is acceptable to place the top card onto the bottom card. On the empty space that is formed, a player can play any card to begin another pile of cards.
It is advisable that when playing, ensure that the cards overlapping are visibly seen. In case the deck at the center runs out of cards, then play will still continue with the cards in hand.
A round will end when one of the players discards all the cards in his/ her possession.
Scoring
After a round ends, scores are usually calculated. For every king left in their hands, players will score 10 points and for each other card, 1 point. Players will continue to play several rounds until an agreed amount of points like 25. Once any player attains or exceeds the 25 points, a player who has the lowest score points will be declared the winner.
Game variations
- In some game versions, players are not allowed to draw a new card when each turn commences. Players will only draw a new card in the case where they cannot play further.
- There is a case where penalty points are allocated to the remaining cards. Play usually continues until a particular player runs out of cards. The players that remain with cards on their hands are allotted penalty points based on those cards. There following are the rules that are adhered to:
- For each king, a player is allotted 10 points and for any other card, one point.
- Play usually continues until a certain player reaches an agreed score point like 25 or 50.
- After reaching or exceeding the agreed points, the player who possesses fewer points wins the game.
- There are other people who choose to play with poker chips. At the start of each round, players receive the same amount of chips as 50. Each player will place a chip in a communal pot at the start of a particular round. Play will continue like any other kings corner game. But, in a situation where a player is unable to discard any card from the hand or move a pile of cards, that player will take one of the chips and place it in the pot.
At the end of each round, the players that are left with cards on their hands have to pay chips for them. Later, the individual who isn’t left with any cards is declared the winner. That player will go ahead to take all the chips on the pot. After that, the game will continue using the remaining chips.
