Double Down
Double Down Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 rules sheet
- 4 "0" cards
- 4 "-10" cards
- 4 "2x" cards
- 5 "direction change" cards
- 6 "doublet" cards: 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66
- 8 "10" cards
- 24 cards numbered 2 to 9 (3 cards of each value)
- 1 "76" card (the French source lists this card but does not describe any rule for it)
- 24 tokens
Object of the Game
On their turn, each player plays one card onto the common pile and adds its value to the previous total.
The goal is to avoid reaching 77 or any doublet (11, 22, 33, etc.). Players who reach these numbers lose tokens. When a player has no tokens left, they are eliminated.
Setup
Each player receives 3 tokens and 5 cards. The remaining cards are placed in the center of the table: this is the draw pile. Each time a player plays a card, they must immediately draw another card so that they always have 5 cards in hand.
Playing the Game
The player seated to the left of the dealer starts. They place a card near the draw pile, thus creating the discard pile. The player announces the number played out loud and draws a new card. The other players then play in clockwise order. On their turn, each player places one of their cards on the pile and adds the last announced number to the number shown on their card.
Example: Lucas starts the game by placing a 10 and announces 10. He draws another card. To his left is seated Camille. She places a 9, adds this figure to the previous number and announces 19 out loud. She also draws a new card.
Doublet Cards
By definition, the numbers 11, 22, 33, 44, 55 and 66 are called doublets. Doublets have a perverse effect: the player who announces one loses a token!
Example: The total had reached "19" on Camille's turn. The third player, Clément, places a "3" and announces "22", a doublet: Clément therefore loses a token!
Action Cards
Using these cards will spice up the game.
- "-10" card: When the "-10" card is played, subtract 10 from the last announced total and announce it out loud. It is even possible to temporarily obtain a negative total below zero.
- "0" card: The "0" card should rather be kept for critical situations: the last total is repeated and the problem is passed to the next player!
- "Direction change" card: When a "direction change" card is played, the last total is repeated and the direction of rotation is reversed until the next direction change.
- "2x" card: When a player plays the "2x" card, the count stays unchanged and the next player must successively play 2 cards, announcing the 2 successive totals, then draw 2 cards.
- Important: a player who suffers the effect of the "2x" card cannot play another "2x" card as their first card.
The doublet cards are played and added together like normal cards.
Warning: as the game progresses, it becomes harder to get rid of these cards...
Special Cases
Swimming When a player has lost their last token, they are said to be "swimming": they will be eliminated if they lose one more time.
Empty draw pile When the draw pile is exhausted, the played cards are shuffled and reused as the draw pile.
Forgetting to draw If a player forgets to draw a fifth card, they will only have 4 cards until the end of the round. And if they forget again, they will only have 3 cards!
End of a Round
The player who must announce the number 77 or a higher number immediately ends the current round and loses one of their tokens. The player who opened the game shuffles the cards and deals them: a new round begins.
End of the Game
The game ends when only one player remains in play with tokens: that player has won.