Nertz
Also called Pounce
Everyone plays speed solitaire at once, with shared piles in the middle. Empty your stack and yell “Nertz!”
the best bit: four hands diving for the same pile with the same 6 of hearts
- Players
- 2–6 (best with 3–5)
- Time
- 20–40 min
- Learn in
- A few minutes
- Mood
- Rowdy
- Format
- Everyone for themselves
The 30-second version
Every player has their own deck and plays a game of solitaire, all at the same time, with no turns. The piles in the middle are shared, so anyone can play on anyone's ace. The first player to empty their 13-card Nertz pile yells "Nertz!" and the round stops. You score for every card you got into the middle.
don't explain it all up front. play one practice round.
Grab these
Set up
- Everyone shuffles their own deck and counts out 13 cards face down. Turn the top one face up. This is your Nertz pile.
- Deal four cards face up in a row next to it. These are your work piles.
- Hold the rest of your deck face down. This is your hand.
- Leave room in the middle of the table for the shared piles.
How to play
-
Start together
Someone says "Go." Everyone plays at once, as fast as they can.
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Build the middle
Any ace can go in the middle to start a pile. Anyone can add the next card of the same suit to any middle pile: the 2 on the ace, the 3 on the 2, and so on.
-
Build your work piles
On your own work piles, stack cards downward in alternating colors, like solitaire. Use cards from your Nertz pile, your hand or your other work piles, and fill an empty work pile with any card. Each time you play the top card of your Nertz pile, turn the next one face up.
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Flip through your hand
Turn your hand over three cards at a time onto a face-up pile. You can play its top card. When you run out, flip the pile over and go again.
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Call "Nertz!"
When your Nertz pile is empty, shout "Nertz!" Everyone stops.
-
Score
Sort the middle piles back into decks. Score 1 point for each of your cards in the middle, and lose 2 for each card left in your Nertz pile.
How to win
The first player to 100 points wins.
From experience…
- Empty your Nertz pile first. Those -2s add up faster than middle points.
- If everyone is stuck, everyone moves the top card of their hand to the bottom and keeps going.