How to Play Alley Cat - 2 Player Card Game (Fan Submission)

[@riffleshuffleandroll]

This is a wonderful 2 player trick taking game created by Andrew Walker. He has always enjoyed playing the classics, but he finds it difficult to gather three other people to play. I know the feeling! It seems that I can find fewer and fewer people that enjoy playing Euchre or Spades in real life. With a lack of fun trick taking games for two players available, Andrew was motivated to create Alley Cat. I think he has done a great job creating a game that encourages strategic thinking and bucks the norms of traditional games such as leading with the highest cards and ditching low cards whenever possible. The magic is in the scoring mechanism. Thank you for the submission, Andrew.

[@Austin-gj7zj]

I tried this with my girlfriend and we had a lot of fun!! We used a cribbage board for scoring. I think this will be a game we come back to often. I'm so grateful to Dewey (and his Decimals) for cooking this up!

[@riffleshuffleandroll]

Very glad you enjoy it. ☺️

[@hecatesson]

I just learned this game and taught it to a friend, and I absolutely love it. Easy to teach and learn, quick to play, and doesn't take long to modify the deck and set up. The scoring in the game is what makes this game fun and strategic. I rated this game 9 stars on BGG as I enjoyed it so much and will always enjoy playing it. I do think the game can also open up some house rules as well to add a little more to it, and also maybe a tad more clarification on the rules. I know that in the comments below, it was asked if a player plays their last card but loses the trick, does the round end, or does that player draw a card and play continues. The rules of the game leave this open for interpretation as technically, it does say that if a player loses the trick, they draw a card. So until they play that last card and win a trick with it, the game continues, or at least that's how we have been playing. But below, it was clarified that once as any player plays their last card, no matter if they win or lose the trick, the round ends and scoring occurs. We also tossed around the idea of a house rule that if the round ends and you have cards left over in your hand, then some maybe you take on some penalty points for them, such as their face values are deducted from your points. It definitely makes the game a little more take that and will lengthen the game, but it would probably add tighter decisions in what to risk keeping or getting rid of on the tricks.

[@riffleshuffleandroll]

My game, Cupid, is built around the Alley Cat deck. You might like to check that out. Thank you for watching, playing, and commenting!! ☺️

[@DatMathBoi]

Playtested this game against myself. Round 2 was extremely dumb Player 1 takes 3 tricks worth 12, 12, and 0 points Player 2 takes 7 tricks worth 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, -5, and 0 points This game is totally great and does not allow you to put your friend in military-level torture

[@eduardoaster1484]

Very nice game.

[@strangestfascination]

Am I correct that playing the Alley Cat reverses the draw/lead order for just the following trick?

[@riffleshuffleandroll]

That is correct. =^)

[@Rose-xu6lq]

Did Dewey invent this? Has he got a channel?

[@riffleshuffleandroll]

He did, and I don’t think he has a channel. ☺️

[@Rose-xu6lq]

You could use a Cribbage Board

[@christopolydoros9834]

That's a great little game! I have a question though: suppose someone plays his/her last card and loses the trick, does the round end immediately or he/she draws another card and the round ends when somebody plays their last card and wins the trick or doesn't have to draw because of the 5 of diamonds? Thank you.

[@riffleshuffleandroll]

The round ends as soon as a player runs out of cards regardless of which card is played or whether or not they win the trick. :)

[@christopolydoros9834]

@@riffleshuffleandroll Thank you!!!

[@hecatesson]

I'm glad this was asked, hahaha. We have been playing it as if a player plays their last card and loses the trick, then they would draw a card as described in the rules. So the round would end only if someone plays their last card and wins the trick. It usually just lengthens the game just a tad. I'll have to remember this next time, thanks!

[@bsnbsn621]

Looks like a great two player game. Has it been submitted to pagat for eternal safekeeping?

[@riffleshuffleandroll]

That is on my to-do list for the day.

[@martynrsmith8475]

Mark Is this a special bicycle deck you are using in this game. If so what is it called. Thanks

[@riffleshuffleandroll]

Yes. They are the Bicycle Large Print playing cards. Six dollars on Amazon. :)

[@bsnbsn621]

We tried it and found out that this game can end rather quickly! The alley cat can put a hurting on real quick.

[@riffleshuffleandroll]

Absolutely! I really like how the scoring works.