Gin-jon-tan

Introduction

Gin-jon-tan is ancient Shaal card game, later spreaded to whole Tar galaxy. It uses set of collored and numbered cards (see below).

Game is intended for three or more players, but there is possibility to play it in pair. Higher number lenghtens each round and game as whole, but allows for more tacticising.

Game rules

Goal of this game is to reach higher point count then other players, by symbol/color combinations.
Higher number value trumphs lower, and color thrumps number.

Game sequence

1) Each player receives 9 cards to his hand, and 9 cards picture down to his reserve from deck. Players could either bring their own selection of 33 cards, or draw from common deck.

2) If player is not satisfied by card in hand, he could exchange whole card with reserve. If he do so, another exchange is not possible.

3) Game round starts; each player choose 3 cards for unfolding and set them aside.
3.1) Each player randomly turns one card from his reserve. Player with card with highest value begins. In case of matching another card is turned.

3.2) Starting player unfolds three cards from hand, and immediatelly draws another three.

3.3) Second player unfolds his three cards, and they are evaluated (see card description)
- starting player choose one card to act, and evaluate
- second player does same
- previous repeat so long, while is something to evaluate
- both players adds points of added value of their winning and opponent loosing cards
- used cards go to deck, unused to reserve; in case of reserve going over 33 cards player chooses, what cards from reserve will go to deck

3.4) Starting player could exchange up to three cards between hand and reserve

3.5) Starting player chooses three new active cards

3.6) Starting player repeats steps 3.2 to 3.5 subsequently with other remaining players in order determined by step 3.1

3.7) Active player becomes second in order determined by step 3.1. He repeats steps 3.2 to 3.6; this is repeated until all players get their round according to their order.

4) Players could exchange up to 9 cards between hand and reserve, if they have enough cards there

5) If reserve contains more then 9 cards, players choose, what surplus cards return to deck. If there is lesser number of card, they take cards to 9.

6) Combination round starts, order from 3.1 remains

6.1a) If player is satisfied with combination in hand, he says "Gin jon tan!" and passes round to next player in order. He cannot make another exchange until asked, what nullifies this limitation.

6.1b) Player exchange 1-3 cards in hand with equal in reserve and passes round to next player in order.

6.1c) Player ask another player to exchange 1-3 card from hand, and chooses, if he wants cards from opponent hand or reserve (not both). Then he passes round to next player in order.

6.2) 6.1 repeats in order of player for so long, untill all player says "Gin jon tan!" without interruption by exchange.

7) Evaluation

7a) If player says "Kat oh!" ("I give up") and lays his cards (symbols down), he keeps his points gained to that time, but looses ability to gain points for his card combination and don't partake in further evaluation in current round.

7b) Player unfolds his cards
- that one, who have highest combination, is winner, and add his card combination point value to his score;
- others deduct their card combination point value from their score; second highest 1x, third 2x, etc.

8) End of round, cards are randomly shuffled and then re-dealed (for hand and reserve)

9) 3-8 repeats for choosen number of rounds; usually 3,6,9,12 or 33

10) Who has highest score at the end, has won whole game. Next tiers are determided according to score of remaining players.

Comment:
If long-term tournament is played, there is another rating, what have two parts:
a) Full number of points - plain total of all points from all games attended
b) For tier - rated for placing in current game. Player add:
- last: 1 point (for attendance)
- last but one: 3 points
- each next: +3 points (exactly: 3+(n-2)*3, where n is number of attendants of that game)
Higher significance has b), in case of equality determines a).

Comment 2:
This game is often played for prize, usually opponents cards.
Winner gains from others 3 cards, second one from others but winner 2 cards, and third from others but winner and second one 1 card.
Those cards are added to personal deck, from where are for each match, played with personal decks, drafted base 33-card deck - from where winners after shuffling of card used in game randomly draws their prize.
This rule is hovever optional...

Point evaluation

Base value:
- depends on card symbol (see below)
- each card is also in 33 copies, with increasing number, what multiplies symbol value

Color:
Base value combination is also in 7 base colors, each is certain multiplier of it
White - x1
Red - x3
Orange - x9
Yellow - x12
Green - x15
Blue - x33
Violet - x99

Combinations:

Colorless:
- pair: x2*sum of values
- triple: x3*sum of values
- four: x9*sum of values
- five: x12*sum of values
- six: x15*sum of values
- seven: x18*sum of values
- eight: x21*sum of values
- nine: x33*sum of values

- order 3: x3*sum of values*value of highest
- order 4: x6*sum of values*value of highest
- order 5: x9*sum of values*value of highest
- order 6: x12*sum of values*value of highest
- order 7: x21*sum of values*value of highest
- order 8: x33*sum of values*value of highest
- order 9: x99*sum of values*value of highest

In one color:
Same as colorless, but also multiplies by color value.

Multicolor:
Same as colored, but also multiply by number of colors, what have at least pair.

Full collors
All six collors (white is not counted).
Base value: sum of all cards values*9
Multipliers:
- color value of most present card*number of that colored cards
- 2 same colors: sum of cards color values

Card symbols

Symbol	Image	Value	Description
Righteous	N/A	9	Judge Prisoner, Restrain Executioner
Fire	N/A	1	Lighten Night, Warm up Coldness
Love	N/A	6	Avert Weapon, Survive Death
Sin	N/A	6	Seduce Righteous, Spoil Life
Water	N/A	1	Quench Fire, Flood Path
Air	N/A	1	Fill Vacuum, Disperse Earth
Night	N/A	1	Cover Sin, Warp Hope
Path	N/A	3	Overcome Earth, Arch Abyss
Black hole	N/A	33	Neutralise anything, cancel opponent reserve
Hope	N/A	6	Overwhelm Death, Substitute Love
Earth	N/A	1	Fill Abyss, Draw Moon
Sun	N/A	9	Repel Night, Disperse Coldness
Abyss	N/A	3	Devour Path, Drain Air
Moon	N/A	9	Draw Air, Occupy Vacuum
Space ship	N/A	12	Shoot down Boat, Annex Moon
Life	N/A	12	Surpass Death, Fail Hope
Supernova	N/A	33	Destroy Space ship, Replace Sun
Executioner	N/A	3	Take Life, Punish Sin
Prisoner	N/A	3	Take Weapon, Steal Space ship
Boat	N/A	9	Capture Prisoner, Consume Water
Death	N/A	12	Hush Righteous, Remove Prisoner
Coldness	N/A	1	Freeze Water, Tame Love
Vacuum	N/A	6	Choke Fire, Extinguish Sun
Weapon	N/A	3	Kill Executioner, Wreck Life
XXX	XXX	XXX	XXX
Bonus	N/A	x3	Triples point value of combination
Universal	N/A	99	Replaces any card
Defeat	N/A	x0	If stays in hand when unfolding cards, player looses

Note:
Description tells, what should player say, when in step 3.3 his card overcomes his opponent card, and also show, what cards proper card overcomes.

There are also four special card, with specific effects: Black hole, Bonus, Universal, Defeat.
- Black hole: Overwhelm any other card (including another Black hole). When used, both opponents loses their reserves.
- Bonus: This card triples point value of whole card combination in hand, including itself. Its own base value is treated as 1, multiplied by color and copy number.
- Universal: This is most valuable card in game, because its highest base value (99), and its ability to serve as any chosen card for combination, while retaining its own walue.
- Defeat: When player is forced to reveal this card in step 7, he automatically looses this round and points gained in that round are immediately nullified.