Gold Rush Prospecting

Now on iPad, with both piles side by side. Cut the claim in two; your opponent picks first. One card stays face down — and they may never learn what it was.

You know this one already. Two children, one slice of cake: whoever cuts it, the other picks first. Suddenly the cutter is very careful.

That is Gold Rush Prospecting. You privately draw seven cards and divide them into two piles. Your opponent takes whichever they want, and you keep the other one. Cut it evenly and they have no good choice. Cut it greedily and they will simply take the better half and leave you the scraps.

THE TWIST Before you hand the piles over, you turn one card face down. Your opponent has to choose without knowing what it is — and if they pass on that pile, they never find out. Every game has a few cards only one player ever sees.

WHAT YOU'RE COLLECTING Gold nuggets, quartz, ore and shovels, gravel and pans, and the occasional pack mule that can stand in for whatever you're missing. None of it is worth anything on its own. Your six scoring cards decide what counts — and your opponent never sees all of them, so they can guess what you're chasing but never be sure.

DEAL OR DRAFT Take your six at random, or draft them. Drafting takes the luck out of the deal, but your opponent gets a lot more information.

THREE WAYS TO PLAY • Online against a friend, over Game Center — take your turn whenever you like • Pass and play, one phone between two people • Solo against the prospector, an opponent that reads your cards and plays to win

BETWEEN GAMES A Claim Journal of every round you have played, career stats, and a reference for all 48 scoring cards.

NO NONSENSE No accounts. No sign-ups. No energy timers, no coins. Free, with a single banner ad.

Eight minutes to learn. Considerably longer to stop arguing about.