Outsmart

think two moves ahead

Tricks, bids and well-timed plays. Count what's gone, read the table and make your move when it counts.

14 games

Outsmart · from Korea
Baskin Robbins 31

best bit: realizing three turns too late that you were already doomed

Count up from 1 together, saying one to three numbers each turn. Whoever has to say 31 loses.

2–10 people · 5–15 min · nothing needed · learn in seconds
Outsmart
Crazy Eights

best bit: playing an eight and naming the one suit they don't have

Match the top card by suit or number to empty your hand. Eights are wild and change the suit.

2–7 people · 10–30 min · cards · learn in seconds
Outsmart
Dots and Boxes

best bit: one line that hands you seven boxes in a row

Take turns drawing lines between dots. Close a box to claim it and go again. Most boxes wins.

2–4 people · 5–15 min · pen & paper · learn in seconds
Outsmart · from Russia
Durak

best bit: piling attack after attack on the same poor defender

Throw cards at your neighbor that they have to beat. There's no winner, just one fool left holding cards.

2–6 people · 20–40 min · cards · learn in a few minutes
Outsmart
Euchre

best bit: slamming down the right bower to steal the last trick

Partners race to win three of five tricks, where two jacks become the most powerful cards in the deck.

4 people · 30–60 min · cards · learn in a few minutes
Outsmart
Gin Rummy

best bit: calling gin when they were one card away

Draw and discard to build sets and runs. Knock when your leftover cards add up to 10 or less.

2 people · 20–45 min · cards · learn in a few minutes
Outsmart
Golf

best bit: flipping your last card and finding the king you prayed for

Swap cards to build the lowest-scoring grid of six. Lowest total after nine rounds, or holes, wins.

2–6 people · 20–40 min · cards · learn in a minute
Outsmart
Hearts

best bit: dumping the queen of spades on your friend with a smile

Avoid winning tricks with hearts in them, and steer clear of the queen of spades. Lowest score wins.

4 people · 30–60 min · cards · learn in a few minutes
Outsmart
Oh Hell

best bit: desperately trying to lose a trick you never wanted to win

Bid the exact number of tricks you'll take. One too many is as bad as one too few.

3–7 people · 30–60 min · cards · learn in a minute
Outsmart
President

best bit: Scum handing over their two best cards through gritted teeth

Beat each play to get rid of your cards first. Finish first and you're President, last and you're Scum.

4–8 people · 20–45 min · cards · learn in a minute
Outsmart
Salvo

best bit: watching their face fall right before they say “hit”

Hide your fleet on a secret grid and call out shots to sink your opponent's ships before they sink yours.

2 people · 20–40 min · pen & paper · learn in a minute
Outsmart · from Italy
Scopa

best bit: slapping down a king to sweep the whole table

Capture table cards that match your card or add up to it. Sweep the whole table clean and shout “Scopa!”

2 people · 20–40 min · cards · learn in a few minutes
Outsmart
Spades

best bit: your partner bidding nil and somehow pulling it off

Partners bid how many tricks they'll win, and spades beat every other suit. Make your bid to score.

4 people · 45–90 min · cards · learn in a few minutes
Outsmart
Ultimate Tic-Tac-Toe

best bit: discovering tic-tac-toe can actually be hard

Nine games of tic-tac-toe inside one big one. Where you play decides where your opponent has to play next.

2 people · 10–20 min · pen & paper · learn in a minute

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