Rituna's Favour

How to Play

Rituna's Dozens is a straightforward card game. The steps are as follows:

1. Remove the Kings from a deck of cards. Each card is given a numeric value. Aces = 1, Jacks = 11, Queens = 12
2. If playing for money, place the round charge into the pot.
3. Deal two cards to each player and to the dealer. If any player is dealt two Queens for the opening hand, they must declare 'Rituna's Favour' and they win the pot immediately.
4. Otherwise, each player - in clockwise order from first dealt - decides to take an extra card or stick. Repeat until each player has stuck or exceeded 24 total.
5. The dealer then does the same
6. The player closest to 24 total, and has not surpassed it, wins. If there is a tie, the presence of a Queen decides the winner. If still tied, the tiebreaker is whoever has more cards. If all tiebreaks do not resolve the round, the pot is split.

Variations & Additional Rules

Some play with the additional 'Lucky 7s' rule. If dealt two 7s in the opening hand, you may return the hand to the deck be dealt two new cards. Lucky 7s for some is played where when dealt the two 7s, the player can split the 7s and play two hands instead, essentially doubling their chances of winning. Due to this confusion, major establishments tend to avoid including the Lucky 7s rule.
Worthless Kings is an optional rule where Kings are kept in the deck but are worth zero. This can help with larger groups and also separate a tiebreak.
Greedy Kings is a variation of the above, but Kings are worth thirteen. This adds an extra level of potential failure to the risks since you could bust on an opening hand of Queen-King or King-King.

Locations

Due the simplicity of the game, it's played anywhere there is gambling. It tends to be game often played amongst sailors and travellers on long journeys as all you need is a pack of cards, so it's easy to get going and fill a bit of time with Rituna's Favour.

Equipment Needed

A Pack of Cards

Players

2+, but typically 4-6.

Header by Sergi Viledesau