Casino (card game)

Casino (card game), popular family card game that originated in Italy in the 19th century. Casino is played with a 52-card deck by two, three, or four participants, but is best played with two hands by either two players or four players in partnerships. Points are scored by taking in the ten of diamonds, called “big casino,” counted as 2 points; the two of spades, called “little casino,” 1 point; aces, 1 point each; the majority of cards, 3 points; and the majority of spades, 1 point. In certain variations of casino, 1 point is also awarded for a sweep, which occurs when a player takes in all the cards on the table. The winner is the player or side scoring highest after all cards have been played once, or the player or side scoring 21 points.

The dealer in casino is the player with the low cut. On the first deal each player, including the dealer, receives two cards, and two cards are also placed faceup on the table. A second round is dealt in similar fashion, thus giving each player and the table four cards, and play begins. This process is repeated in subsequent deals, except that no more cards are dealt to the table.

Play begins with the nondealer in the two-player game, or the player to the left of the dealer in a three-player or partnership contest. Players in turn may make one of the following plays. (a) Take in. If a player has a card of the same rank as one or more on the table, he or she may show it and take in such cards. An alternate play is to take in table cards whose spot values add up to the value of a card shown from the hand. (b) Build. A build is made by adding one hand card to one or more on the table, putting them into a single pile faceup, and announcing their total point value. A player must have a card in hand to match this total, except that in the partnership game a player can add to a build initiated by the partner. Single cards of numerical value ten or lower may also be built by announcing the value of the build as the value of the single card. This type of build may not have its point value increased. A build may not be taken in until a later turn. Picture cards, which have no numerical value, may not be built. (c) Continue building. A player may form new builds and add them to any already made. (d) Change the point value of a single build. This is done by adding a card from the hand and announcing the new point value of the build. (e) Trail. A player may place a card faceup on the table instead of taking in or building.

Players may take in any build, whether formed by them or not. They must take in their own build at the next turn unless they choose to make further builds, take in a card or combination of cards, or take in the build of an opponent. They may not trail with their own build waiting. In the final deal of a deck, any cards remaining on the table go to the last player to take in cards.