Wallbuilder 2011

Using 1-2 decks of poker cards, players attempt to build the biggest wall by drawing and placing cards to their wall. Points are scored: 1 for each card 1 level up, 2 for each card 2 levels up, 4 for each card on level 3, 8 for each on level 4 and so on. Base level gives nothing.

Starting player is chosen randomly and each player chooses and places their starting card in front of them; they may search the deck and choose any card between 2 and 7. Play then proceeds clockwise.

On your turn you take a card either from the top of the deck or the top of the discard pile or may pass. If you take a card you must either use it to build on your wall or discard the card. The discard pile is public and anyone may see the order of the cards there, but not change the order. You can build in two ways, either going up a level or widening the base level. Each card has a value between 1 and 14, with jack, queen and king being 11, 12 and 13 and ace being both 1 and 14 (you choose in each instant). The joker's value is determined by its position.

When widening your base level you may place your card at either end of your wall if the sum of that card and the adjacent card is 14 or less. You may not use jokers in this way.

When building up, you place your card above 2 adjacent cards of the level below, but your card must be equal to the sum of those cards. Jokers may be used as any other card when building up - its value is then determined by those two cards below it. The joker cannot have a value higher than 14, but it can be considered an ace (value 14 and 1) if the lower cards you build on have that sum.

Example: You have a base level of 7, 7, 6, 2 and a queen. You then have the possibility for a level 1 of ace(7+7), king(7+6), 8(6+2) and ace(2+12). Level 2 would be ace(1+13), nothing(13+8=21) and 9(8+1). No further levels is this case. The score would be 0 for base level + 4 for the 4 cards in level 1 + 4 for the 2 cards in level 2 = 8 points.