Rack-O is among the most beloved card games. It's been a favorite for players of all ages since the 1950's. This clas- sic version features the original rules, gameplay and look players adore.

Components

• One 60-card deck of Rack-O cards
• 4 plastic Rack-O racks
• Rulebook

Object of the Game

To be the first player to replace cards in your rack by drawing cards from the pile whose numbers read in any numerical progression from LOW to HIGH. (See Figure 1).

Setup

Cards

Rack-O cards are numbered from 1 to 60. If 4 are playing, use all 60 cards. If 3 are playing use cards 1 to 50, and if 2 are playing use cards 1 to 40. (See rules for 2 players).

Racks

Each player uses one rack. The numbers appearing on each rack: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 are used for scoring only.

Deal

Cut for the deal. Low card deals first. The dealer shuffles cards and deals out ten to all players.

Important Note: As each card is dealt, each player immediately places it in a slot in his rack.

Each player must insert his first card in slot #50, second card in slot #45, third card in slot #40, and so on until his rack is filled with all ten cards

Figure 2 shows a rack full of cards at the beginning of a round. Note that the cards are in no particular order.

Game Play

The undealt portion of the cards (the Stockpile) is placed face down in the center of the table. The top card is then laid face up beside it to start the Discard pile. Players take turns beginning to the left of the dealer.

A player must take one card, either the top card from the Stockpile, or the top Discard. If he takes the top Discard, he must ex- change it for one from his rack, which he discards (face-up to the Discard pile).

If he takes the top card from the Stockpile, he may exchange that card for one from his rack, or discard it if he chooses.

When cards are exchanged, the player must place the new card in the slot from which the old card is taken.

If the Stockpile is used up before any player goes "Rack-O" the Discard pile is turned over, and used as the Stockpile again.

Winning a Round

A round ends when one player goes Rack-O! In order to go Rack-O a player must have all ten cards in his rack reading from a LOW card in the #5 slot to a HIGH card in the #50 slot, in any combination of increasingly higher cards.

Figure 1 shows one of the many combinations a player could have to go Rack-O and win a round.

End of the Game

The player who goes Rack-O scores 75 points, 5 for each of the ten cards in his rack, and 25 points for going Rack-O.

The other players score 5 points for the cards, in their rack, in LOW to HIGH sequence. Starting with the card in the #5 slot, and ending where the succession of higher cards has been broken. Figure 3 shows a score of 30 points

as card 37 in the #30 slot is followed by card 22 in the #35 slot. No points are scored for the last four cards in the rack even though they are arranged correctly.

Sometimes a player may score only 5 points in a round, because the card in the #10 slot is lower than the card in the #5 slot; even though the remaining nine cards are in order.

The first player to score a total of 500 points or more wins the game.

Partners Rack-o

Four may play as partners, two against two. The scores of the two partners are added together after each round. The pair scoring 500 points first wins the game.

Bonus Rack-o

The object of Bonus Rack-O is for a player to score 50 to 400 extra "Bonus" points by including a sequence or runs of 3 to 6 cards in his rack before going Rack-O (see Figure 4).

All the rules of regular Rack-O are used. This game is more of a challenge, as a player must decide to go Rack-O with a score of only 75 or wait to improve his rack for a bonus score.

The bonus is scored only by the player who goes Rack-O, his opponents receiving only 5 points for each of the cards in their racks in LOW to HIGH order.

The bonuses scored for runs are as follows:

Three Card Run

75 points plus a Bonus of 50 points = 125 points

Four Card Run

75 points plus a Bonus of 100 points = 175 points

Five Card Run

75 points plus a Bonus of 200 points = 275 points

Six (or More) Card Run

75 points plus a Bonus of 400 points = 475 points

Note: If the player who goes Rack-O has two or more runs in his rack, he receives a bonus for only one of them, the longest if there is a difference.

Rack-o for Two Players

Play is the same with the addition of this rule: A player may not go Rack-O (for a score of 75 points) unless he has a run of at least 3 cards in sequence included in his rack.

Figure 4 shows a run of 3 cards (28, 29,30).

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