Rachel,

Just as a clarification, I am Dena, not Jennifer. I just added to Jennifer's post because I was looking for more information on the game that Jennifer posted about. My questions were more about HOW the game is played...because we were having trouble with it working for us as a game...not because the kids struggled with the mental math. I'm wondering about the use of the entire basic card deck...what to do with the 10's?

Is there a video version of the game as in some of the other games? I really like the games and don't want to give up on this one...just because MOM is confused about the rules. :)

Thanks again,
Dena

Hi, Dena!

At first, this game seems a little 'daunting'...at least it did for me when I first saw it. However, it is actually quite easy.

Step 1 - Put 2 stacks of cards out - the Basic Card Deck (with the green back) and your Multiples Deck (With the Blue Back)

Step 2 - Deal each player 3 cards

Step 3 - Make 2 rows of the 'game board'....Each row has one card from the multiple deck and 1 card from the basic card deck.

Step 4 - The first player answers the equation mentally. For example, if the 2 rows you have out there (the 'game board') are: 63 and 9; 16 and 1....then you need to mentally add the first equation (63 + 9 = 72) and the second equation is (16 + 1 = 17). That first player then looks at his deck and sees if he has a '7, 2, or 1' in his/her hand. Let's say he/she has a '2'. That card would go in the first row. Then because he doesn't have any other 'matches', he draws a card (because he used one up).

Step 5 - The second player plays off his/her hand. Let's say in this particular scenario the second player has a '7' and a '1'. So he/she decides to put the '7' on the first equation (to finish the answer of '72') and the '1' on the second equation. She has no more matches, so she draws two cards (because she used two during the game).

Step 6 - The first player doesn't have any matches at all...so he/she puts out a new row (a new equation). He/she puts down a card from the multiplication deck and one card from the basic card deck. Then his turn is over.

Continue through the game.

The game is over when either the Basic Card deck or the Multiples Card deck is depleted - or when mom says 'Times up!' :-)

I hope that gives you a better idea of how to play the game. It actually is quite fun!

Let me know if you have any further questions! Have a fabulous day playing math card games!

Rachel