NUMBER OF PLAYERS: Two to four
AGE APPROPRIATE: 6 to adult
THE DECK: Universal Card Deck – 54 cards – no Galaxy (wild) cards used
RANK OF CARDS: Sun (high), Moon, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
RANK OF SUITS: The suits are not ranked in this game. Each suit is equal.
THE SHUFFLE AND CUT: Draw or cut for deal; high suit deals – E (high), J, M, N, S, V. If any players draw or cut the same highest suit, the card rankings go into effect. Dealer shuffles. The player at dealer’s right cuts the deck. Deal rotates left each hand.
THE DEAL: The dealer gives one card at a time, face down, to each player in rotation to the left, until each player has five cards. The remaining cards are placed face down in the center of the table, forming the stock. The top card of the stock is turned face up and placed beside the stock to form the discard pile.When two play, the winner of each hand deals the next. When more than two play, the turn to deal passes from player to player to the left.
OBJECT OF PLAY: To form a sequence of five cards in consecutive rank order (e.g., Moon, 7, 6, 5, 4) all of different suits (rainbow run).
THE PLAY: Each player in turn, starting with the person left of the dealer, must draw either the upcard (top card of the discard pile) or the top card of the stock, and add it to his/her hand. The player must then discard one card, face up, on the discard pile. If the stock gets depleted before one of the players goes out, the discard pile gets shuffled and then turned face down to become the stock.Going out: When one player gets a rainbow run of five cards, he/she announces the victory by placing his/her discard face down on the discard pile and then lays down the run face up to show the opponent(s).
SCORING: Each victory counts as one point. A running total can be kept to a finishing amount determined by all the players.
©Copyright 2001 by John Frampton & Craig Richter