Liberty Match (2011)

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Liberty Match was inspired by Go Fish. It can be played with 2 to 6 players. It is played with American Standard Playing Cards, which is a deck of cards inspired by traditional playing cards.

THE DECK

The 58-card deck has 4 suits (Faith, Declaration, Revolution, and Unity) with 14 ranks: The 1st - 10th Amendment, A Gentleman, a Lady, a Patriot, and a Foundation. There are also 2 Jokers, which are actually a king and queen. The suits are in 2 colors: Red and Blue.

Faith is represented by a Blue Triangle, (The "All-seeing Eye of the Creator" - like on the back of the $1 Bill)
Declaration by a Red Pentagon
Revolution by a Red Triquetra (Trinity Knot) with a coiled "Don't tread on me!" style snake in the center.)
and Unity by a Blue Circle with 13 stars.

The deck was designed to have a theme of American history and patriotism. Since America was founded by declaring independence of a royalty-based ruling system, the face cards and suits were changed. The Amendment cards have portions of the actual text of the named Constitutional Amendment printed on the card, and that text is used in the playing of "Liberty Match".

HOW TO PLAY

The dealer deals between 5-7 cards to each player (depending on how many players there are). The remaining playing cards are placed face down to form a stock. The player to dealer's left starts.

Once a pair is made (even if dealt a pair from the beginning) it is to be laid down, face up, on the table in front of the player.

In each turn, a player asks for a rank of card that they already have in their hand from a specific other player. If the asked player has that card, they must give the asking player that card. If the asked player does not have that card, they reply with "Catch a Liberty" - then the asking player takes the top card from the deck on the table.

Before play can continue, the asking player must read the text from one of the other cards in their hand - just the text, not the name of the card. (Players cannot continue to read the same card repeatedly, unless it is their last card.)

If the asking player is given the card they asked for, or if they draw a card that matches one of the cards they are holding, they can continue to go. If a player is told to "Catch a Liberty" and is unable to make a pair, the next player may go.

When a player has no playing cards left, they must then draw a playing card from the stock until all playing cards run out. The game continues until all the playing cards are played even the stock. The winner is the player who then has the most pairs in front of them.

Example of a turn:

Player 1 asks Player 3 if they have the 1st Amendment. Player 3 hands Player 1 a 1st Amendment. Player 1 lays down the two 1st Amendment cards, then reads "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." (the text from the 2nd Amendment.) And then asks Player 2 if they have any 4th Amendments. Player 2 says "Catch a Liberty". Player 1 draws a card and then reads "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted." It is now Player 2's turn.

There are 2 Jokers the "King of Tyranny" and "The King's Queen" - these have the 4 suits from the standard - or French Deck.

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