Swoop

Swoop is a bluffing cardgame, where both players set down cards representing Raiders, to raid or defend against raids. On a victorious raid, a player loots some of the chips of the opponent. As such, there's no overall winning condition, instead the raids gain players money directly.
To play Swoop, the players need one card suit each, representing Raiders. They also use thirty chips, representing loot. The chips could be anything, even coins. The basic rules of Swoop are simple. Each player takes a single Card suit and keeps the pip cards and the Ace. They shuffle, then draw 5 cards. Players will Raid three times, each time playing three cards. After the Raids, they draw replacement cards. For the third Raid they only have four cards remaining to choose from.

Raids

In the Raid, players first distribute exactly ten chips over three areas. Each area must contain at least 1 chip. Normally, the starting player assigns chips to their first area. Next their opponent assigns chips to the same area, then to a second area. The starting player then assigns chips to the second and third area, after which their opponent assigns to the third area as well. Under the normal rules, the third area has no choice, but some variants offer more options.
After distributing their loot, the players pick their Raiders. Each player places a card facedown in front of each lootpile. If cards can be visually distinguished, often covering the cards with plates is allowed. When both players have placed, each of the three fights has its opposing cards revealed. Each card wins from lower cards. A two will beat an Ace, but an Ace beats everything else. On a victory a player keeps their own chips and loots those of their opponent. On a tie, neither party loses their chips.

Wrapup

After each Raid, used Raiders are discarded; players draw 3 more cards; and the starting player switches. Once all three Raids are completed, the game is done. If a player ends the game with more chips than they started, their opponent must pay them the difference. Needless to say, this is easiest when the chips are coins themselves.
Because players don't have all cards available initially, the first raid is extremely uncertain. The final raid has limited options, making it far more of a bluff. Checking which cards the opponent already used, makes it easier to predict what they're playing near the end. Double-bluffs can really turn the tides, so it is far from rare for the first Raid to go fast but the last Raid involving a lot of thinking and bluffing.

Possible Tactics

• Card counting to figure out what's left
• Lure out an Ace and beat it with a two.
• Defend a valuable pile with a mediocre card, trying to scare off the opponent.

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Variants

Blind Play

Players also distribute their loot in secret. Loot is still revealed before Raiders are chosen.

Free Loot

Players are not restricted to distributing 10 loot per Raid. Instead they must simply keep 3 chips per coming Raid.

Long War

Instead of 10 cards, players keep all 13 (or 14 when using Tarot suits) cards. There are four Raids in a game. Aces and Twos beat all Face Cards, but all pip cards beat Aces.

Alliance

Each side has 2 players, players play cards against the person in front of them. A Raid only succeeds if both enemies are defeated. In this variant, players are not allowed to talk.