Card Games > Catch 21 > How to Play Catch 21

How to Play Catch 21

Game Objectives:

Your goal in this game is to make the most 21s with your cards as possible, and to do this as quickly as possible. Achieving these two goals are what maximize your score.

Game Scoring:

• If you clear a column by 21, you earn 50 points
• If you clear a column by Blackjack Attack, you earn 75 points
• If you clear a column by Five Card Charlie, you earn 100 points

Values of the Cards:

• Kings, Queens and Jacks are worth 10.
• Aces are worth 1 or 11.
• All other cards are worth the number of the card.

Controlling Your Moves:

• In moving a card into a column from the draw pile, you can either type any of column numbers 1 through 4 on your keyboard or you may click on the column itself.
• In discarding the currently drawn card, you can either press “D” on the keyboard, or you may click on the discard pile.

How to Play:

• When you begin the game, you will first see on your screen four columns and your draw of cards.
• Take the first card from your draw and move it to one of the columns (the number of cards left in your draw will always be shown over the pile).
• Begin moving cards from your draw to any column. You may not move a card to a column unless the sum of the cards in the column is equal to or less than 21. You will find the total sum of the cards on the top of each column (note that the game shows a chip on any column in which you are still allowed to place a card).
• When the sum of the cards in one of the columns is 21, the cards are cleared.
• Another way that the cards are cleared is called a “Five Card Charlie.” This occurs when five cards are positioned in one of the columns, even if their sum does not equal 21.
• When a card you draw is a black Jack (this may be the Jack of Spades or the Jack of Clubs), a flashing of “Blackjack Attack” will appear on the screen. This is your wild card, and will clear any column you place it in regardless of what the total in that column was beforehand.
• Discarding: When there is no column to place a drawn card into, you must discard it. You may also discard a card even if there is a place to put it, and this would be a choice made for strategic purposes.
• Timing: The entire game is played in five minutes. If you run out of time and have not finished the game, it will still stop immediately. However, if there is time left over, you can receive a time bonus. The bonus points equals 1000 x time remaining / time limit.