🎴 5 Card Steal

🔥 Objective

Build the best 5-card poker hand by the end of the game.
Use strategy, memory, and timing to draw, steal, or swap cards while keeping your hand secret and in order. The twist? You’re allowed to steal cards — and they’re allowed to steal them back... eventually.

🧹 Contents

• 1 Standard 52-card deck (not included)
• Optional: Player mats with 5 card slots and viewing mirrors (not included)

🎯 Setup

1. Shuffle the deck and deal 5 cards face down to each player.
2. Cards should be placed left to right in a straight line, face down in front of each player.
3. Each player may look at their cards privately and rearrange them once before the game begins.
4. Once the first player starts, card positions may not change.
5. Place the remaining cards in the center of the table as the draw pile.
6. Leave space next to the draw pile for the discard row — a line of up to five face-up cards.

🔁 Gameplay Overview

Players take turns in clockwise order. On your turn, choose one of the following actions:

1⃣ Draw from the Deck

• Draw the top card.
• You may:
  • Use it: Replace one of your 5 cards with the new card. Place the replaced card face up in the discard row.
  • Discard it: Place the drawn card face up in the discard row without changing your hand.

2⃣ Steal from Another Player

• Choose any player and point to a card by position (e.g., "3rd from the left").
• Take that card and give them one of your own cards in return.
• Both cards stay face down and are placed in the same position they were taken from.
• You may not steal back a card from a player who stole from you until after one full round has passed.

3⃣ Take the Top Card from the Discard Row

• Starting on the second player’s turn, you may choose to use the most recently discarded card (top of the row).
• Replace any card in your hand with the chosen card and remove your replaced card from the game.

⛔ Game End

• The game ends when the fifth card is added to the discard row.
• The player who places or causes the fifth discard does not get another turn.
• All remaining players take one final turn.
• Then, all players reveal their hands. The winner is the player with the highest-ranking poker hand.
• In the event of a tie, use standard poker tiebreakers (e.g., high card, suit if needed).

🔐 Special Rules

🔒 Card Order

• After setup, card positions are locked.
• Replacements and steals must be placed in the same slot.

❌ Steal-Back Rule

• A card cannot be stolen back until a full table rotation has passed.

❓ Forgetting a Card

• In standard mode, you may look at your cards at any time to remember them.

🧠 Optional Hard Mode (Memory Challenge)

For a more advanced version of the game:

• After initial arrangement, players may not look at their cards again.
• This turns the game into a memory and deduction challenge.

🧰 Optional Accessory: 5-Card View Mat

• Use a 5-slot mat with angled mirrors or viewing windows, allowing players to peek at their card values discreetly.
• Keeps card order intact while maintaining secrecy and flow.

💡 Strategy Tips

• Don’t rush to end the game — or maybe do. Ending the game prevents you from taking another turn, but forces everyone else into a final decision.
• Use stealing tactically — to bluff, to remember, or to disrupt.
• Count the discard row. Everyone sees the ending coming.