Check Games: African card game

Overview

Check Games is a fast-paced, shedding-type card game similar to Switch or Crazy Eights, played with
a standard 54-card deck. The objective is simple: be the first player to get rid of all your cards
by following suit or rank, while using special cards to change the flow of the game.

## Players

2 to 9 players (ideal with 3–5 players).
Requires one standard deck of 54 cards (2 jokers included). For larger groups, two decks can be
combined.

## Setup

Shuffle the deck and deal 5 cards to each player.
Place the remaining cards face down as the draw pile.
Flip the top card of the draw pile to start the discard pile.

## Gameplay

Players take turns clockwise.
On your turn, you must play a card that matches either the suit or the rank of the top card on the
discard pile.
If you cannot play, you draw one card from the draw pile and your turn ends.

## Special Cards & Rules

Check Games introduces special effects for certain cards:

7: Next player draws two cards.
Ace: Skip the next player’s turn.
Jack: Change the suit (similar to a wild card).
Joker: Next player draws four cards.

## Optional Variants:

Check Call: When you have one card left, you must say “Check!” or draw two penalty cards.
Stacking: Players can stack penalty cards (e.g., if a 7 or joker is played, the next player can play
another
7 or joker to pass the penalty forward).

## Winning

The first player to empty their hand wins the round. Points can be scored based on remaining cards
in opponents’ hands if playing multiple rounds.

## Strategy Tips

Hold onto Jacks for flexibility.
Use penalty cards (2s, 7s and jokers) strategically to disrupt opponents.
Watch for suit changes and plan ahead.