Description

This dexterity game based on Jacks (Jackstones) won The Boardroomers Contest. Criteria was to use up to 20 playing cards and 10 game cubes and nothing else.

To play, all you need are the A-9 in 2 suits from a deck of cards and 10 game cubes. Each player gets a suit and organizes the cards according to rankings.

On your turn, place the number of cubes equal to the card number in play onto the table/floor. Organize the cubes to mimic the pattern of the pips on the playing card with ample space between cubes.

Grab an extra cube, toss it into the air, flip over your hand and quickly pick up all the cubes representing your card, and then catch the tossed cube in the same hand.

Complete a card and move on to the next one on your turn. Miss and play passes to your opponent. First player to complete all 9 cards is the winner.

HERE ARE THE COMPLETE RULES:

PIP UP CUBES - A dexterity game for 2 players, ages 9+
Designed by Bonnie Neubauer
Winner of the Boardroomers February 2013 Design Contest
(c) 2013 Bonnie Neubauer

Goal: Be the first player to work your way through all 9 of your cards, picking up cubes from the table (or floor) that are placed in the same pattern as the pips/symbols on the cards. You do this by tossing 1 cube in the air and, with the same hand, scoop up cubes from the table, then catch the tossed cube in that same hand... without dropping any cubes.

Components: 10 cubes & 18 poker cards: A-9 of hearts or diamonds and A-9 of spades or clubs.

Set-up: Place the 10 cubes between both players.
The 9 red cards go to one player, the 9 black to the other.
Each divides her pack into 3 parts: Ace, 2-5, 6-9.
Each places their Ace face-down on the table/floor. Then they shuffle their 2,3,4,5 cards and place them, face down on top of the Ace, each forming her own unique stack. Players both shuffle the 6,7,8,9 cards and each place them face-down on their stacks.
Both players flip over their stacks so the Aces are face-up. Neither looks at the cards below.
Player who is closest to 9 years of age goes first.

Play: First player places 1 cube on the table/floor. She tosses another cube in the air and, with that same hand, scoops up the table cube, and then catches the tossed cube in the same hand with the cube she picked up... without dropping any cubes. Do this and you accomplish the card!

If the first player fails to accomplish this (she dropped a cube or didn't catch the tossed cube), her turn is over and play moves to her opponent who attempts her own Ace card (picking up 1 cube).
Once a player successfully completes the Ace card, she places it on the bottom of her stack. This reveals her next card. It will be a 2,3,4, or 5. Her turn continues.

For cards 2-9, players place that number of cubes on the table, following the pattern of the pips/symbols on the card. All cubes should have at least a 1/8 inch space between them if you are playing with 1/2 inch cubes. Handicap players to even out skill, by adding more space or using less space between cubes. Here's what cubes will look like on the table for cards 3, 5, 6, 8:

A player's turn lasts until she fails to accomplish a card (drops cubes or fails to catch the tossed cube). This card stays face-up on top of her stack and she will re-start with this card on her next turn. Likewise, her opponent starts with the card that was left face-up on her own deck at the end of her last turn. Once you are using cards greater than 4, you will have to re-arrange the cubes on the table each time your turn starts.

Turns continue back and forth. Players will be going for different cards most of the time. As each card is accomplished, it's placed on the bottom of the deck and the next card is immediately attempted on the same turn.

Winner: First player to successfully make it through all 9 of her cards wins. If she went first, the other player gets one last turn to catch her. If there is a tie, re-play the 9 card and first wins!