Ultimatch

Players: 1-5
Ages: 10+
Time: 20 Minutes

Cooperate to match cards and make your way up the pyramid as a team in this exciting, colorful, addictive game. Make clever matches by number or color. Will you use 1 card or 2? Addition or subtraction? Mix colors (yellow + blue = green)? Will you risk a card now or save it for later? Can you guess what card the other player needs? Make a perfect match of both number and color to feel the thrill and gain the rewards of an Ultimatch!

Ultimatch includes both public and private cards and requires the kind of clever decision making about when to use cards that seasoned card players enjoy. Silently trading 1 card facedown with 1 other player keeps all players engaged throughout, introduces a push-your-luck element, and calls on players to read each other. Will you risk trading a card with another player? If so, who is likely to know what you need? Is your card better to keep for later use? The thinking goes quickly as do the turns. Every match is a mini-win, and win or lose, players keep coming back for more.

Setup is easy: • Build a pyramid of cards in the center of the table. The number of rows depends on the number of players. The bottom row is faceup. • Deal cards to each person playing. The hand size depends on the number of players. • Each person chooses 1 card to donate to the alta-hand, a set of faceup cards shared among all players. The person who donates the highest numbered card goes first.

On your turn: 1. Trade a card with 1 other player. Who do you think can help you the most? Is their card better than the card you’re giving up? 2. Make a match with 1 or 2 cards to a card showing in the pyramid. Which cards should you use? Should you save a card for a later play? Should you use a card from the alta-hand? 3. Remove matched cards from your hand and the pyramid. 4. Reveal any pyramid cards that are now uncovered. Is it a card you have a match for? 5. Get Ultimatch rewards if you matched both color and number. That means you can draw 2 new cards. Choose which one to keep in your hand and which one to add to the alta-hand. The game ends in a win if the last card in the pyramid is matched. If all the players pass one after another, the game ends in a loss.In the mood for a solo game? Deal yourself 13 cards and let the Ultimatching begin!