Pig Pile
Pig Pile Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 80 Pig Pile Cards
- 40 Scoring Pigs
Object
Players race to get rid of all of their cards and collect the most pigs.
Set Up
Leave the pigs in the box. This will be the Pig Pen. Select one player to deal. The dealer shuffles the cards and deals 10 cards to each player:
- 3 face down (called the Slop)
- 3 face up, 1 each on top of the Slop cards
- 4 to be held in the hand
The remaining cards are placed face down on the table. This is the Draw Pile.
How to Play
The dealer goes first. On your turn, select a card from your hand and place it face up beside the Draw Pile. This will be the Pig Pile. You may choose to play more than one card at the same time if you have multiple cards of the same value, i.e. three 6's. (Multiple copies of special cards can also be played together.) While there is a Draw Pile, you must pick a new card to end your turn.
The next player (continuing clockwise) must play a card on top of the Pig Pile that is equal to or higher than the card just played or play a Hog Wild card. If they do not have a playable card, then they must pick up ALL of the Pig Pile cards. Picking up the Pig Pile ends their turn and they do not pick another card from the Draw Pile.
Special Cards
The deck contains cards numbered 1 to 12, (6 each) and eight Hog Wild Cards. If multiple copies of special cards are played together, the effect takes place only once.
HOG WILD: This card does not have a number. This card can be played at any time regardless of the top card on the Pig Pile. When played, it's a "zero", so the next player can play any card.
HOG TIED: When the Hog Tied card (card #4) is played, the next player is "tied up" and misses his turn.
EWE TURN: When the Ewe Turn card (#11) has been played, then the direction of play is reversed. For example: if play is moving to the left, it now moves to the right.
HOG WASH: When this card (#8) is played, the Pig Pile is washed away and set aside until the next round. The player then gets to play any other card to start a new Pig Pile.
Clearing Away the Pig Pile
The Pig Pile gets cleared away if either of these occur:
- Playing the #8 Hog Wash card on to the Pig Pile
- Creating 3 identical card in a row on top of the Pig Pile.
For example, if the #5 card is the top card on the Pig Pile and a player plays two more #5 cards, that creates a Hog Wash. If someone plays three or more together of any number at the same time, that too is a Hog Wash. Likewise, if a player plays a #3 card, the next player also plays a #3 card and the next player ALSO plays a #3 card, this third player creates a Hog Wash!
Whoever creates a Hog Wash sets the Pig Pile cards aside for the rest of this round, draws a card, then takes another turn. It is possible for a player to play multiple Hog Washes in a row.
The Cards on the Table
So when do you play the face up and face down cards? First you must get rid of all of the cards in your hand.
FACE UP CARDS: When you play your last hand card, and the Draw Pile is empty, then next turn you will start using your face-up cards. On that turn, choose one face-up card to play onto the Pig Pile. If you have multiple face-up of the same value you may play them all at once. If you have none that are playable, you must pick up the Pig Pile plus one of your face-up cards. So you will now have cards in your hand and your turn is over. You need to get rid of these before going back to the table cards.
FACE DOWN CARDS: Once your hand is empty and you've used all of your face-up cards, you can now go to your Slop Cards (face down). On your turn, select any Slop card to play. If it's not equal or higher than the card on the top of the Pig Pile (or a Hog Wild), then take all of the cards in the Pig Pile along with that card into your hand. Play from your hand until you empty it again and can play from the Slop.
Winning
The first player to get rid of all his cards, wins the round and collects 3 pigs from the Pig Pen. The game continues and the second player to get rid of all his cards, collects 2 pigs. The round ends and all other players collect one pig, except for the player left with the most cards. That player does not get a pig. If there is a tie for most cards left, none of those players receive a pig.
The next round starts with a new dealer (to the left of the original dealer). A game will last five rounds or until all of the pigs are gone from the Pig Pen.
Advanced Play
Deal the three Slop cards face-down to each player. Then deal each 7 cards. Players will choose three cards from the seven to place face-up on their Slop cards.