Games and Puzzles

This card game is for two players. You will need one deck of cards with the face cards removed (40 cards remaining). Aces are worth 1.

Instructions

  1. The cards are dealt face up in an array, either a 10 x 4 or 8 x 5 array.

2. The first player challenges the other one to find two cards next to each other that add to make a particular number. For example, the first player says, I see two cards that add to make 7.”

3. The second player then looks for 2 cards that add to make the number. The two cards need to be next to each other either horizontally or vertically. The player then picks the cards up to add them to their pile. They do this with any other pairs that add to make the number as well.

4. If the second player misses any pairs that add to the number, then player one may claim them.

5. The players alternate taking turns and continue until all the cards are gone.

6. The winner is the player with the most cards at the end of the game.

7. As large gaps appear in the array, move the cards closer together to fill those gaps.

Variations

  • You could change the operation that students use, for example, subtraction or multiplication.
  • Allow your students to add three cards together.
  • You could also allow students to use pairs of cards diagonally.
  • You could increase the deck by adding in some or all of the face cards and make them worth 0 or 10.
  • You could reduce the deck to Ace to 5 and deal out 20 cards for facts to 10.