How to Play the NEW Card Game: RockIt to Destiny

Finally! Here are the rules of the fluently-received card game I've mentioned a few times already on this blog.

A BRIEF HISTORY:

As you might know, my family and I took a recent vacation to New Orleans and Sandestin, Florida this summer with our good friends Francois & Kelly and their daughter (and Kelly's mom Susie). Francois and I go waaaaaaaaay back and our spouses sometimes joke that we share a brain.

And one night we were playing cards and just messing around near the beginning of the trip, and we fluently received this card game. It was definitely a joint effort: me, Francois, and higher powers. We continued to perfect it until it evolved into what I will describe in detail here.

The game is called RockIt to Destiny (I don't know why, that's just what we got was optimal to call it) and this is the logo for the game:




Why? Because you play just ONE time and you will be HOOKED like a fish! (But in a good way.)

WARNING: Do not play this game while intoxicated! You will need every last brain cell to win...and besides which, the game provides enough of a high on its own.

NAME
The game is called RockIt to Destiny. Like I said, I don't really know why. And how important is the name -- I mean, what the hell does "pinochle" or "rummy" mean, anyway?

OBJECTIVE
To get rid of all your cards by creating new tricks or playing the cards in your hand on existing tricks on the community board.

WHAT YOU NEED
Two people can play with one standard deck of 52 cards + 2 jokers, and a single deck is recommended while learning the game. Things really get juicy with the addition of a second standard deck and 4 jokers total (although shuffling becomes a pain), and the game is particularly challenging if both decks are the same color (because you could wind up with a lot of repeat cards in your hand). Up to 5 people can play RockIt with 2 decks. Three decks are not recommended -- if you have more than 5 people who want to play, why not play tournament style with multiple games going on separately yet simultaneously?

SETTING UP THE GAME
Since this is a completely Fluent game, the cards are not "dealt"; rather, the cards are shuffled thoroughly and spread out (Go-Fish or accordion style) and players take turns selecting cards randomly. Players are not allowed to look at their cards, as it is generally thought that a person could influence the selection of their hand if they knew what cards they were already holding. Each player draws at random until they are holding 14 cards. The remaining cards are kept face down and moved to the side, to be used as the draw pile.

Any "chance" method may be used to determine who goes first (rock-paper-scissors, odd man out, flip a coin, etc.) In subsequent games, the winner of the previous game goes first.

TRICKS
The term "trick" or "lay down" refers to any one of the following legal plays:

three or four of a kind, all of different suits (e.g., 3 diamond, 3 heart, 3 spade) Cannot repeat suits from multiple decks in a single trick. Can repeat tricks on the community board (e.g., 2 separate tricks of three of a kind 7s)

straight flush, three or more sequential cards of the same suit (e.g., 7, 8, 9 of diamonds). Ace can be played high or low and can continue in either direction (e.g., King, Ace, 2 of spades is a legal play).

Every lay down becomes part of the community board, and no play "belongs" to any particular player.

COMING IN
In order to come in or enter the game, you must play a single trick of 30 points from your own hand. (NOTE: This is the only time in this game when points are tallied.) Ace = 1 point, number cards are worth face value, Joker = 0 points, and face cards are 10 points each. Any three-of-a-kind play is worth 30 points. You may not add to an existing play as your "coming in" trick. Jokers may not be used in your "coming in" trick.

HOW TO PLAY
Once everyone has drawn their cards, and it's been determined who goes first, the play begins. The first person must either "come in" with a trick worth 30 points, or draw a card. Play commences in clockwise order.

During each player's turn, they must either make a play or draw a card. Once a player draws a card, their turn automatically ends.

Once you've "come in," there are three ways you can make a play.

1 - Create a new lay down. This happens when you have an entire trick in your hand, and you lay it down as a new trick. Once you end your turn, subsequent players can add or change up this play. For example, you play 7, 8, 9 of clubs from your own hand.

2 - Add to an existing trick. The only "complete" tricks are 4 of a kind. Straight flushes can be added to in either direction, and can be split up and turned into multiple tricks (as long as each separate run is a valid trick on its own). For example, you can add a 10 of clubs or a 6 of clubs (or a 5, 6 of clubs) to an existing trick of 7, 8, 9 of clubs. Additionally, if there is a run of 5,6,7,8,9 of hearts on the board, you can play a 7 of hearts from your hand by splitting the existing trick into 5,6 (add your 7) and a separate trick of 7,8,9 from the original trick. Capisce?

3 - "Jack up" the board. A player can move, change, build or destroy any existing tricks on the board in order to create new tricks. Three 7s and three 6s are split into straight flushes to add cards from player's hand such as 6,7,8 of one suit and 5,6,7 of another suit and 5,6,7 of yet another suit. Jack up the board any way you like, but you must play everything you mix up (can't add cards from the board into your hand -- you can only ever take cards from the draw pile, and only then if you don't make a play). Remember, when you end your turn, ALL tricks on the board must be valid tricks of 3 or more cards. If there is a 9,10,J,Q,K of diamonds on the board, you can steal the 9, the 9,10, OR the K, or the K, Q, but you can't steal the J unless you can make a play with the remaining cards. Make sense?

At the end of your turn, you declare "RockIt." This is not only a cool thing to say, but it also lets the next player know that you're done for now and they can begin their turn. Once you say "RockIt," your turn is OVER -- you cannot make another play once you've said "RockIt." No exceptions. Review the board and your hand carefully before you say "RockIt" -- you will be surprised how many plays you miss if you don't do a complete review before ending your turn. As a courtesy, please remember to say "RockIt" after you draw a card, as this ends your turn.

PLAYING A JOKER
Jokers are wild, and a joker from your hand may be used in place of any card to create a new trick or add to an existing trick. However, the rules are slightly different with a Joker stolen from the board.

When a Joker is played, it is played in place of a specific card. For example, Ace of diamonds,2 of diamonds,Joker,and 4 diamonds means the Joker represents the 3 of diamonds. Q,Q,Joker means the Joker represents a Q of a DIFFERENT suit than the other 2 in the trick (since there can be only 1 card of each suit in a 3 or 4 of a kind).

When you "steal" a Joker from the board, you MUST replace it with the card it represents from your hand AND you must use it with cards from your hand to create a new lay down. In other words, in the above scenarios, you could take the Joker to use it in a new trick if you have the 3 of diamonds AND the new trick is made completely of cards from your own hand (NOT the community board).

A joker that you drew (already in your hand) is not subject to this rule and can be played in any legal manner.

WINNING THE GAME
The game is won when a player has played all the cards in their hand (also called "going out,") AND every play on the board is a valid play.

And let the swearing begin.

Have fun, and when you start playing (hooked!) be sure to post your questions here -- it's possible that I may have omitted something important and your question will benefit all who follow and read this after you. In a subsequent post, I'll add some tips.

Have fun practicing!!! The more you play, the more this game will sharpen your mind, that's for SURE. You'll start seeing opportunities everywhere you look. Why? Because you trained your brain to look for them. :-) Enjoy!!!

NOTE:
The name RockIt to Destiny, the game itself, and these rules are (c) 2008 Amy Scott Grant and Francois Camenzuli. All rights reserved. So don't be a weenie and try to claim it as your own! Just have fun playing :-)