Description

Ranter-Go-Round (also known as Chase the Ace, Cuckoo, Bohemian Poker, Screw Your Neighbor, Stick or Swap, Bring the King, or Chicago Shuffle) is a card game with bluffing elements.

Any number of players, 52 cards. The object is to not have the lowest card at the table. The ranking of cards from highest to lowest is: K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 A, or alternately A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2. Suit is irrelevant.

Each player has an equal number of counters placed in front of them - usually from 2 to 4 - to mark his or her "lives". (Alternatively, a dollar bill or other note may be used, and players use the corners to mark their lives, folding a corner in when a life is lost.) Cards are dealt, one card to each, face down. Starting to the left of the dealer - each in turn examines their card. If they are satisfied with their card they may keep it, usually simply by announcing, "I'm good." or similar. However, if they are unsatisfied they may pass it to the player on their left while announcing that they are "not good", receiving that player's card back in return. The player to the left is obliged to exchange for the unwanted card unless they currently hold a King at which time they can refuse the card by showing their King. That transaction completed, privilege now passes to the player to the left who may or may not have a new card to decide on. (Players who have shown a King in defense are considered to have completed their play.) Play continues to the left as such. Once we reach the dealer the dealer has the same decision as any other player except that they exchange with the top card on the remaining deck instead of another player.

All exchanges completed, the players' cards are then all turned face up, and the lowest at the table loses a counter/life - which they place into the central pot. Ties lose a life each. Once a player loses all their lives they are out of the game, and only remaining players are dealt in for the next hand. Each hand the dealer rotates to the next player to the left.

Play continues as such until the only player with live(s) remaining takes the entire central pot.

Of special note, if it gets down to just two players and they each have one counter and they tie, they both lose and place their existing counter into the pot and all players re-ante and start the round over again.