How to Play

There are seven rounds in the game. The team with the highest total score at the end wins. The losers feel shame.

Each of the seven rounds has a different Starter, a specified collection of Sets and/or Runs that allow you to start putting your cards down on the table (“Going Down”). The Starters progress over the course of the game, getting a little harder with each successive round:

GETTING STARTED

FIRST, choose teams and sit opposite your partner. Each player gets one card rack. Determine who deals first, however you want. After this, the dealer rotates to the right for each new round.

REMEMBER: at the start you are working toward collecting the required Starter cards for that round Trade and organize your cards to get to that goal as quickly as possible

REMEMBER: each card in the deck has its point value printed right on the card.
Keep an eye on these as you decide which cards to play. keep or discard.

REMEMBER: there are two of each card in the deck, so it’s really okay to have two identical cards in your Set.)
A SET is a minimum of three (3) cards of the same face value, regardless of suit.

A RUN is a minimum of four (4) cards in order and in the same suit.

PLAYING THE FIRST ROUND

1 TRADE

If you want the card that is facing up on the table, you may trade one of your cards for it. This is optional – if you don’t want the card, just move on to the next step. Otherwise, take the card and replace it with your card. also facing up. There should never be more than one card facing up throughout the game.

2) DRAW

Regardless of whether you trade a card, you must draw the top card from the face-down stack on the table, and place it into your holder. So as the game progresses, you will have more and more cards in your rack… which is why you have a card rack!

THIRD, the remaining cards go in a single stack in the middle of the table. The dealer turns the top card from the stack over, revealing the card, and you’re ready to start.

REMEMBER: If the dealer gets the count exactly right, and deals out seven cards to each player with none left over, they start with a 50-point bonus! Grab the “Perfect Deal” chip to remind you to add your points at the end of the round.

Each player arranges their cards into their rack. The player to the left of the dealer takes the first turn. There are four steps to each player’s turn: Trade, Draw, Play and Pass.

3] PLAY

If you have collected the right combination of cards for that round’s Starter and are able to Go Down, place those cards face up on the table.

4] PASS

If you cannot play any cards or are finished with your Play, signal the end of your turn by saying Pass. Play now moves clockwise, to the next plaver on the left.

REMEMBER: at the start you are working toward collecting the required

Starter cards for that round Trade and organize your cards to get to that goal as quickly as possible

“WE ARE DOWN”

Play continues until one player on a team meets the Starter requirements for that round. The player places the cards face up on the table in front of their rack, and declares, “We are Down!”

Only place down the qualifying cards. For example, in Round One you

might put down.

After one person on the team has met that round’s Starter requirements, no other teammate has to meet the requirement. All players on that team can play any sets or runs from card rack, either on your own or by adding on to your teammate’s played cards.

For example, you could put down a complete set or add a + + to the set of sevens your partner has already put down.

One player on the opposing team must still meet the Starter requirement and GO DOWN before any players on that team can play. Just because the other guys went down doesn’t mean you don’t have to!

WATCH FOR THE WILD CARDS

There are eight cards in the deck that don’t look like the others. Instead hev have pictures of Screwie and his family. These are Wild Cards.

The Wild Cards can be played at any time as any other card in the game.

They can be used to help you meet the Starter requirement for that round, or later in the game to help you get the rest of your cards down.

The Wild Cards can also be passed back and forth among teammates, by replacing them on the board with the card they represent. If your partner played two sevens and a wild card, and you have a seven you could use it to replace the Wild Card, pick that card up off the board, and play it however you want (or put the Wild Card back in your hand for future use).

If you are replacing a Wild Card in a run, you must replace it with the card with the corresponding number and suit.

FINISHING THE ROUND AND SCORING

Players continue collecting and playing cards until one player is able to play their final card, declaring “We are Out!” This signals the end of the round. Now it’s time for each player to add up their scores.

Every card that has been played in front of you earns you points.

Every card remaining in your card rack (unplayed) is subtracted from your score. Add up the points on the table, subtract the points in your hand, and you have your score for the round.

REMEMBER: each card in the deck has its point value printed right on the card.

Keep an eye on these as you decide which cards to play. keep or discard.

A COUPLE THINGS

TO REMEMBER

  1. The player who declares “WE ARE OUT!” earns an additional 50 points
  2. If you end up with more points in your hand than on the table, you will have a negative score for the round (don’t worry – it happens.
  3. Make sure you add in the Perfect Deal bonus
  4. (50 points) if you dealt exactly 28 cards!
  5. Red threes are worth 50 points if they’ve been played but only 5 points if they’re still in your hand.
  6. Don’t worry if you think you’re falling behind; we’ve seem a team come back from over 800 points in a single round before!

Now pass the deal to the left and start the next round!

HINT CARD

IT’S MY TURN! WHAT DO I DO?
There are four steps to each turn:
TRADE (Optional): If you want the card that is facing up on the table, you may trade one of vour cards for it. Just take the card and replace it with vour card, also facing up. There should never be more than one card facing up throughout the game.
DRAW: Regardless of whether you trade a card, you must draw the top card from the fade down stack on the table, and place it into your holder.
PLAY: If you have collected the right combination of cards for that round’s Starter or have cards you can play once you’ve Gone
Down, place those cards face up on the table.
PASS: If you cannot play any cards or are finished with your Play, signal the end of your turn by saying Pass. Play now moves clockwise, to the next player on the left.

WHAT ARE THE CARDS WORTH?
Every card is worth some points and different cards have different values (which we have thoughtfully printed on the card face):

2s through 8s = 5 points
9s through Kings = 10 points
Aces and Wild Cards = 20 points
RED 3s = 50 points if they’ve been played, but only 5 points against you if they are still in your hand.

ADVANCED HINTS AND TIPS

So you’re starting to get the hang of it, eh? Now you’ll see why we say Screwie Louie takes five minutes to learn and a lifetime to master. Here are some of the things to watch out for:
WILD CARDS ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND!
Remember that Wild Cards can be replaced and reused endlessly. So always pay attention to the Wild Cards either you or your partner has down on the table (but not the other team, you can only trade out your team’s Wild Cards). If you can trade out for a Wild Card, you can either use it right away or keep it for future use
WATCH FOR THE RED 3s
When you play a red 3, it’s worth 50 points, the most of any card by far.
So NEVER trade away your red 3s (or, really, any 3s since the black ones will help you play the red ones) unless you want to watch your partner have a myocardial infarction.
PLAY YOUR HIGH-VALUE CARDS FIRST.
Remember, whatever is left in your hand at the end of the round counts against you. So get those aces, face cards and wild cards down on the board!
REMEMBER THAT ONCE A CARD IS PLAYED, ONLY YOUR TEAM CAN USE IT.
So get those Wild Cards and sets down asap. Those will be the easiest for your partner to play on.
PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THE OTHER TEAM IS DOING WHEN THEY TRADE.
Are they collecting Queens? Don’t help them by throw Queens.
Are they discarding Eights? Chances are they will throw some more.
LOOK AT THE BOARD.
Has the other team played a set of Jacks? Don’t trade away a Jack!
Pay even more attention when they have a Wild Card on the board. The last thing you want to do is make it easier for them to trade it out and play it again!
ONCE YOU’RE DOWN, BREAK UP YOUR RUNS.
This is a little more advanced. If you’ve been collecting runs to Go Down and our partner gets there first, start reorganizing the incomplete runs into sets.
Sets are a whole lot easier to complete than runs!