Cattura

This game, whose name means 'capture', was contributed by Cilibiu Dragos .

Players: 2 to 4 players

Cards: A 32-card pack consisting of just the A(1), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 in each of the four suits. It can be made from a standard 52-card deck by throwing out all the cards from 9 to King..

Goal:  To score points by capturing cards from the battlefield.

Deal: Each player is dealt 5 cards. The remaining cards are stacked in the middle of the table, face down. This is the draw deck.

Draw the top card from the draw deck, and place it face up on the table so every player can see the card. This will be the starting card (battlefield stack).

Game play: A player can do one of the following actions during his turn: sending cards into battle OR capture cards. After one of these actions is performed the turn ends and next player is active.

1. Sending cards into battle:
   • The player can take 1 card from his hand with a different value from the card on the top of the battlefield and place it on face up on top of the battlefield stack.
   • The player draws a new card from the draw deck.
   • Turn ends.
2. A card can be captured by playing up to two cards with a total that equals the card on top of the battlefield. These cards can come from the player's hand or a previously captured card can be used. The possibilities are as follows:
   • play a single card from hand that has an equal value with the one on top of the battlefield
   • play a single captured card that has an equal value with the one on top of the battlefield (you may exchange suits this way to increase your score)
   • play 2 cards from hand with a total that equals the value of the one on top of the battlefield.
   • play 2 cards, one from hand and one captured card, with a total that equals the value of the one on top of the battlefield.
   • The captured card is placed face up in front of the player, and the card or cards that were used to make the capture are placed face up on top of the battle pile in place of the captured card. When two cards are used they must be placed with the larger numbered card on top. If the two cards are the same rank and different suits capturing player chooses which card to place on top of the other.
     
   • The player does not draw a new card from the deck on this turn.
   • Turn ends.

End of the game: There are two ways that the game can end.

• When any player has 4 captured cards in front of them the game ends immediately.
• When a player has no cards in their hand at the end of their turn but has fewer than 4 captured cards, each of the other players takes one more turn and then the game ends.

Scoring: Each player scores by adding the face values (1-8) of the cards they have captured plus some extra points based on their suits.

• 2 cards of the same suit: 2 points
• 3 cards of the same suit: 3 points
• 4 cards of the same suit: 5 points
• 4 cards of different suits: 4 points