Liberty Fan Tan (2 player card game)

Objective: The objective of Liberty Fan Tan is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards by playing them onto the foundation piles or by winning tricks.

Adaptation for 2 Players: Liberty Fan Tan is typically played with more players, but it can be adapted for 2 players. In this adaptation, the rules are adjusted to maintain the essence of the game while accommodating the smaller player count.

Setup:

1. Use a standard deck of 52 cards.
2. Shuffle the deck and deal 13 cards to each player.
3. Place the remaining cards in a draw pile in the center of the table. This pile serves as the stock.

Scoring:

• Liberty Fan Tan does not typically involve scoring. The winner of each round is determined by being the first player to play all their cards.

Gameplay:

1. Starting Player:
   • Decide who will start the game. This player will be referred to as Player 1.
2. Turns:
   • Players take turns clockwise. Each turn consists of playing cards onto the foundation piles or making moves to win tricks.
3. Foundation Piles:
   • Start four foundation piles on the table, one for each suit, in ascending order from Ace to King.
   • Players can play cards onto the foundation piles in ascending or descending order, depending on the suit.
4. Playing Cards:
   • On their turn, a player must either play a card onto a foundation pile or win a trick.
   • To win a trick, a player plays a card from their hand onto the table. The other player must then play a card of the same suit if possible.
   • If the other player cannot follow suit, they may play any card.
   • The player who plays the highest-ranked card of the original suit wins the trick and leads the next one.
5. Drawing Cards:
   • If a player cannot or chooses not to play a card from their hand, they must draw a card from the stock.
6. Winning the Game:
   • The first player to play all their cards onto the foundation piles or win all the tricks is the winner of the round.
   • The game typically consists of multiple rounds, and players can keep track of their victories over several rounds to determine the overall winner.

Differentiating Turns:

• Player 1’s Turn: Player 1 starts the game and takes the first turn, including playing cards or winning tricks.
• Player 2’s Turn: Player 2 follows Player 1’s turn, playing cards or winning tricks accordingly.

Summary: Liberty Fan Tan, adapted for 2 players, offers an engaging and strategic card game experience. Despite being originally designed for more players, the game retains its core mechanics and provides an enjoyable 2 player card game. The goal is to either play cards onto the foundation piles or win tricks to be the first to empty your hand.