Rules of Continental

Continental is a card game which shares similarities with Gin Rummy, Remigio or Canasta, but is distinguished by two unique characteristics: the combos you have to make after each deal are fixed, and players can take someone else's discard out of turn, getting an extra or "penalty" card in doing so.

Aim of the game

The aim is to combine the cards into specific sequences or trios and display them.Players score based on the cards remaining in their hand, whether they are combined or not. The winner is the person who gets the least amount of points at the end of the game.

Deck of cards

The game is played with two or more 52-card Spanish or English poker decks, including two jokers per deck. The number of decks increases with the number of players, from two decks for four players to three or more for five to eight players.

Number of players

The game allows for two to eight players, each one playing individually.

Order and value of the cards

The cards follow the usual order from Ace to King. The points vary depending on the card:

• Joker:50 points
• Ace: 20 points
• Kings (K), Queens (Q), Jacks (J) and numbers 10 to 8: 10 points
• Numbers 7 to 2: 5 points

Distribution of cards

The first dealer is chosen at random. This person shuffles, cuts the deck and deals six cards to each player. The remaining cards are divided into two piles: a main pile and the penalty pile, thus beginning the discard pile.

Start and flow of the game

On their turn, each player may take either the face-up card or the top card of the deck. If they take the card from the discard pile, any player may claim it out of turn, but they must also take a penalty card. The players can display their combos at any time, even if they don’t close their hand.

The benefits of displaying your combos include reducing penalty points and using exposed jokers. However, showing your cards can also make it easier for another player to close.

When someone closes, the points of the remaining cards are scored. It is then the next player's turn to deal.

Plays or combinations

The possible combinations are:

• Three-of-a-Kind: Three cards of the same value.
• Straight: Four consecutive cards of the same suit.

The joker is a special card and can replace any other card, allowing for three-of-a-kind with two jokers and another card.

Order of the fixed plays

1. round: Two three-of-a-kinds with six cards.
2. round: One three-of-a-kind and one straight with seven cards.
3. round: Two straights with eight cards.

And so on, increasing in complexity with the number of cards.

Penalty cards

If a player takes another player's discard, they must also take a penalty card, which can result in having cards that aren’t part of a combination when showing their cards.

Scoring

Points are scored at the close of each hand, based on the cards remaining in each player's hand, even if they are part of a combo.

Continental is a game that combines strategy, luck and social skill. Knowing the rules and strategies is essential, but constant practice and observation of your opponents will improve your game significantly.