Evens and Odds

A game of skill, Evens and Odds is a quick game between two people.

Rules

1. One player is selected as the caller. The caller chooses either odds or evens. The other player gets the other position (evens or odds).
2. Both players close their hands and hold them out.
3. On the count of three, all hands are opened. The number of stones held are counted. If the total number is even, the player with the 'even' position wins. Otherwise, the other player is the winner.

Skills

Multiple types of magic can help in the game. The most common type is a simple stone creation spell, allowing the magician to choose a number of stones and create him in his hand before revealing stones.
More advanced magic will allow deeper play in this game. For example, a spell may create stones in the opponents hand or may change the number of stones the opponent creates. Spells may cause stones to split or merge, or effect the counting of stones. For example, a spell may change perception when counting, making observers to think there a number of stones in a person's hand.
No magic that affects the number or counting of stones is forbidden in this game, although spells that otherwise affect the game aren't allowed.

More than Two Players

Multiple Rounds

This game can be played in multiple rounds, where in each round all participants call their position (even or odd). Multiple participants may choose the same position. Positions may be called simultaneously or in a supplied order, depending on the local variant being played.

"Multiples"

The "Multiples" variant allows any number of players. Each player in this variant chooses or is assigned a unique number from 1 through the number of players. As with the standard rules, players create stones in their concealed hands. In this step, however, the stones are then distributed amongst the players, with the number of stones left over determining the winner. (In this case, 0 stones left over declares the player with the largest number, the number of players, to be the winner.)

History

Evens and Odds has a background before the advent of magic. This was a quick game used to resolve small arguments between people. After the discovery of magic, the game started to be won by magic rather than chance or knowledge of the opponent. People began using the game as a game of skill rather than a game of mostly chance.

Components and tools

This game is played with stones created or transported by magic.