How the Game is Played: 2 Players or 3 Players as Individuals; or in Partner Groups with 4 Players or 6 Players
Number of Decks: 2 (for 2 or 4 players) or 3 (for 6 players) – all 54 Cards (include Jokers)
Dealing: 18 cards face down per group, placed in three rows by six separate card columns
Starting: Each group turns up any three cards out of their group’s 18 cards, with one card from the deck flipped up. The player clockwise from the dealer begins first. See example:
Playing: Each player has a choice to make every time it is their turn – either (a), (b), or (c):
(a). Take the discard pile top card, or a new card from the deck, and replace a card out of your group of 18 that is face up – you must then discard selected face up card; or
(b). Take the discard pile top card, or a new card from the deck, and replace a card out of your group of 18 that is face down – you must then discard selected face down card; or
(c). Leave the discard pile top card, discard the new card picked up, and then flip up one of your group of 18 that is face down. Your turn is finished, go on to the next player.
[Note: once a selection is made to replace (and discard) a face down card, you cannot change your mind and keep the face down card once you see what the card is].
Finishing: Once one group has ‘holed out’ by turning up all 18 of their cards, then all other players (including the group partner of the player who holed out) gets one more turn to try and hole out while scoring more under par and / or minimize their damage over par.
Scoring: Once the game is over, all cards from each group of 18 are flipped up and each group scores all of the rewards and penalties that they have accumulated, as follows:
(a). Each column having three cards the same (i.e. slot machine) scores zero points (i.e. three 10s, three 5s, three Jacks, etc.) and players should avoid columns of all Jokers, or all Aces with an Ace of Clubs, etc. since a ‘zeroed column’ eliminates any albatrosses, eagles, and birdies in the column.
(b). For columns which finish the game without three of the same cards, scored as follows:
- Each Joker (scores an Albatross -3)
- Each Ace of Clubs (scores an Eagle -2)
- Each King, Queen, Jack, and Ten of Clubs (scores a Birdie -1)
- All other Kings (scores a Par +/-0 apiece)
- All other Aces (scores a Bogey +1 apiece)
- Each 2 (scores a Double-Bogey +2 apiece)
- Each 3-9 (scores over par +3 up to +9 apiece)
- All other 10s, Jacks, and Queens (score ten over par +10 apiece)
(c). Any player that has: two columns side by side in which all six cards are the same, scores a huge bonus of 18 under par for the columns (i.e. -18 equivalent to a sextuple albatross).
(d). The winner is the group that has the lowest score (i.e. under par, can be most negative points or the least positive points) accumulated. The goal is to accumulate low scoring cards and as many columns of three that are the same to maximize under par and minimize over par.
(e). In the rare case of a tie after 9 (or 18) holes, extra hole playoffs will commence with the tied groups for as long as necessary until a winner is determined.
(f). For an example of scoring, see the images below – the first image shows the final scoring of Players A & C (Partner Group 1), while the second group shows the final scoring of Players B & D (Partner Group 2).
Example End of Hole Scoring for Players A & C (Group 1) Example End of Hole Scoring for Players B & D (Group 2)
For Group 1 (Players A & C), the first column has three fours (score of zero); the second column has three tens (score of zero, since the Ten of Clubs birdie is nullified); the third column has two Kings (including King of Clubs) and a Joker (-1 -3 + 0 = score of -4); the fourth column has three twos (score of zero); the fifth column has a King of Clubs, a nine, and a six (-1 + 9 + 6 = score of +14), and the sixth column has three Queens (column score of zero, since The Queen of Clubs birdie is nullified). The Group 1 total score for this example hole is [0 + 0 - 4 + 0 + 14 + 0] = +10 or 10 over par.
For Group 2 (Players B & D), the first column has three eights (score of zero), the second column has a Joker, King, and an Ace (-3 + 0 + 1 = score of -2); the third column has a five, Jack, and a three (+ 5 + 10 + 3 = score of +18); the fourth column has a four, a two, and a seven (+ 4 + 2 + 7 = score of +13); the fifth and sixth columns are side-by-side with all six cards the same as sixes (i.e. a bonus score of -18). Group 2’s total score for this example hole is [0 -2 + 18 + 13 -18] = + 11 or 11 over par.
Styles of Play: 9 (or 18) holes (i.e. ‘rounds’) either as Stroke Play or as Match Play
(a). Stroke Play – add up the points from each group over 9 (or 18) holes (i.e. rounds)
(b). Match Play – add up the number of holes won by each group over 9 (or 18) holes. A player or group wins the hole by having the least number of points for that hole.
Example Stroke Play Scorecard
Hole (i.e. Round) |
Players A & C (Group 1) |
Players B & D (Group 2) |
Dealer |
1 |
-4 |
+5 |
Player A |
2 |
-4 + 9 = +5 |
+5 -21 = -16 |
Player B |
3 |
+5 + 21 = +26 |
-16 + 4 = -12 |
Player C |
4 |
+26 – 11 = +15 |
-12 + 1 = -11 |
Player D |
5 |
+15 + 2 = +17 |
-11 + 10 = -1 |
Player A |
6 |
+ 17 – 12 = +5 |
-1 - 3 = -4 |
Player B |
7 |
+ 5 + 5 = 0 |
-4 - 3 = -7 |
Player C |
8 |
0 + 8 = +8 |
+4 – 9 = -5 |
Player D |
9 |
+8 + 10 = + 18 |
-5 + 11 = + 6 |
Player A |
Example Match Play Scorecard
Hole (i.e. Round) |
Players A & C (Group 1) |
Players B & D (Group 2) |
Dealer |
1 |
Won -4 to +5 (1 UP) |
Lost (1 DOWN) |
Player C |
2 |
Lost (Even) |
Won -21 to +9 (Even) |
Player D |
3 |
Lost (1 DOWN) |
Won +4 to +21 (1 UP) |
Player A |
4 |
Won -11 to +1 (Even) |
Lost (Even) |
Player B |
5 |
Won +2 to + 10 (1 UP) |
Lost (1 DOWN) |
Player C |
6 |
Won -12 to -3 (2 UP) |
Lost (2 DOWN) |
Player D |
7 |
Lost (1 UP) |
Won -3 to +5 (1 DOWN) |
Player A |
8 |
Lost (Even) |
Won -9 to + 8 (Even) |
Player B |
9 |
Won +10 to +11 (Final 1 UP – Match Play Winner) |
Lost (Final 1 DOWN - Match Play 2nd Place) |
Player C |
Variant Options:
(a). Handicapping - if you find that one player or one group is consistently better at winning than the others, try levelling the playing field by allowing the 'less skilled' player or group to 'request a handicap' which would allow turning up one or two extra cards at the beginning of the game with a better chance to win!
(b). Bunker Shots / Pitch Shots / Approach Shots - for a player's turn, special shots that would allow players to (i). 'hit a bunker shot or pitch shot' by switching a face up card with another card (either facing up or turned down) in an adjacent column; or (ii). hit an approach shot by switching a face up card with another card (either facing up or turned down) horizontally along the same row in either direction. Careful: for this turn there is no discard so the next player can play the existing card on the deck if they choose!
(c). Professional Variance: once your group masters the amateur version described above, increase difficulty - instead of six columns with three cards, expand to six columns with varying rows (2 rows with three cards for Par 3s, 2 rows with three cards for Par 4s, and 2 rows with three cards for Par 5s, etc.)
Final note: it may take a few holes to understand and appreciate how the game works – perseverance is definitely worth it. Hint: for easy counting when a hole is over, try to separate and offset the over par and under par counters … use a calculator if you need to!
'Alberta Deluxe Cards Golf' is a Game Created and ©2020 & ©2023 by Kelly Grant, REALTOR® at MaxWell POLARIS in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada