6th Sense
6th Sense Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Content and Set-up
70 playing cards, game rules (Not included: pen and paper to keep score.)
A game consists of several rounds, depending on the number of players:
| Players | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rounds | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
* In a 2-player game, remove all cards of one colour from the game.
A Round
Shuffle the cards and deal each player the number of cards shown below, face down:
| Players | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cards | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 |
Stack the remaining cards face down in the centre and turn over the top card. The colour of this card is the trump colour for this round.
The Prediction Card
Look at your cards and determine how many tricks you expect to win in this round. If you think you can win 4 tricks, take a 4 card from your hand and place it face down on the table in front of you. If you don't have a 4, choose the next closest card to that value, for example the 3. The 3 then becomes the target number of tricks you must win to make your prediction come true. It also determines the number of points you will earn this round if you succeed. The 6 card ("6th Sense") can be used to predict either 6 or 9 tricks, giving you more chances to make your prediction come true.
A Trick
A round consists of several tricks. Starting with the player to the left of the dealer, all players take turns (in a clockwise direction) to play one card from their hand and place it face up onto the table. Follow these rules for playing a card:
- The first player may start with any card and thereby determines the requested colour.
- Each subsequent player must follow suit, i.e. you must add a card of the same colour if you can.
- If you do not have a card of the same colour, play a card of your choice. This can be a trump card.
The trick ends when all players have played one card.
Who Wins the Trick?
The number on the front of a card determines its value. A card with the number 14 holds the highest value and the card with X/0 is the lowest. The winning card is the highest trump card. If there is no trump card in the trick, the highest card of the requested colour wins (the colour of the first card played in the trick). All other colours are considered lower, even if a card shows a higher value.
Example: Blue is trump. Player 1 plays a yellow card (3) and yellow becomes the requested colour. Player 2 has no yellow and plays a high card of a different suit (11). Player 3 follows suit and plays a higher value card to try to take the trick (5). Player 4 also has no yellow card but plays a low trump card (2) instead and therefore wins the trick.
If you win the trick, pick up the cards and place them face down in a separate pile in front of you, so that everyone can see how many tricks you have won. You must start the next trick.
Action Cards
Some cards have a special effect. The rules described above must also be applied when playing these Action cards:
(0/X) Blocking Card
You can play this card as a regular card, with a value of 0. Or you may choose to use this card to block any previously placed card played by another player. In this case, place the blocking card face down on top of the selected card, eliminating both cards from this trick. If applicable, this action also cancels out the special effect of that card. (In a 2-player game all cards are blocked by this action: no one wins the trick and both cards are set aside, out of play. The player that won the previous trick starts the next round.)
If the first card that started the trick is blocked, the next card played becomes the requested colour. Only one card can be used as a blocking card per trick. Players cannot start a trick by using its special effect.
(4) Reversal Card
When someone plays a 4, it is not the highest but the lowest card that wins the trick. Trump cards are still the highest value cards, followed by the requested colour. The lowest card of another colour wins the trick. If two cards are equally low, the last lowest card played wins the trick.
Two reversal cards cancel each other out and normal rules apply (see "Who wins the trick" above).
Example: Blue is trump. Player 1 starts with a high trump card (10) which is also the 'requested colour'. Player 2 plays a reversal card (4) of a different colour. From this moment on, the lowest card wins the trick. Players 3 and 4 also have no trump cards and each play a 1. Player 4 was the last to play the lowest card and wins the trick.
(6) 6th Sense
When you play a 6, indicate what value the card has (either 6 or 9). Your choice is fixed until the end of the trick and cannot be changed.
(8) Peek Card
If you start the trick with an 8 then, when that trick is completed, you may look at the winner's prediction card.
(12) Double Trick
If a 12 is played by any player during a trick, the winner of that trick may choose to split the trick into two piles and earn 2 tricks instead of 1. This choice is fixed until the end of the round and cannot be changed.
End of the Round
The round ends after all cards have been played. Each player counts the number of tricks they won and then reveals their prediction card. If you have correctly predicted the number of tricks won, you score as many points as the number on your prediction card.
If your prediction was wrong, deduct the difference between the number of tricks you won and the number on your prediction card. It is possible to have a negative score. Some examples:
| Prediction | Tricks won | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 6 | -2 |
| 4 | 2 | -2 |
| 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 6/9 | 7 | -1* |
* With the "6th Sense" card, both predictions (6 and 9) are valid. 6 is closest to 7, so -1 point.
Write down the scores for each player and start a new round. The player to the left of the last dealer becomes the new dealer and the player to their left starts the new round.
Who Wins?
The player who has the most points (or the least penalty points) at the end of the last round wins the game!
Game Variants
For Novice Players
Play without a trump colour. Players must follow suit and all other colours are lower than the requested colour. The difference between the tricks you won and the number you predicted will earn points as follows:
| Difference | 0* | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
* Correct prediction
For Experienced Players
Instead of playing a fixed number of rounds, you determine in advance how many points must be earned to win the game.
Want an even more challenging game? Turn over the trump card after all players have chosen their prediction card.