Meio — How to Play

Goal of the Game

In MEIO, players aim to achieve the perfect balance between two sets of cards. You must split your hand into two separate packs and try to win the same number of tricks with both. The winner is the player who manages to find the best balance, resulting in the lowest score (closest to zero).

Setup

The number of cards used depends on the number of players:

• 2 players: Use cards from 9-A + 2 randomly selected special cards (28 cards total).
• 3 players: Use cards from 6-A + 3 randomly selected special cards (39 cards total).
• 4 players: Use cards from 3-A + 4 randomly selected special cards (52 cards total).
• 5 players: Use all cards 0-A + 5 special cards (65 cards total).

Once the deck is prepared, shuffle the cards and deal 13 cards to each player. The starting player is the one who has the most symmetrical face, or you can decide randomly.

Game Flow

The game is played in rounds, and each round consists of two distinct parts divided by a splitting phase:

1. Step 1: Splitting: Before play begins, each player must split their hand into two parts: one with 7 cards and one with 6 cards. The 7-card pack is kept in your hand to be played in the first half. The 6-card pack is placed face down in front of you to be played in the second half. Note that some special cards function differently depending on whether they are played in the first or second half. You may check the cards in your 6-card pack at any time.
2. Step 2: The Tricks: The game proceeds through a series of tricks. In the first half, everyone plays their 7-card pack. Once the seventh card is played and everyone has no cards left in hand, players collect their 6-card packs and continue the game normally for the second half.

Actions and How to Play

During a trick, the starting player plays any card from their hand. All other players must follow the suit if possible. If a player does not have a card of the same suit, they may play any card. A trick ends when everyone has played exactly one card.

Winning a Trick:

• If one or more ❤️ (trump) cards are played, the player who played the highest ❤️ wins.
• If no ❤️ cards are played, the player who played the highest card of the suit of the first card played wins.

Managing Won Tricks: The winner of a trick places it in a pile in front of them. In the first half, tricks must be placed in a horizontal position. In the second half, tricks should be placed in a vertical position (if possible over a horizontal trick, or next to the other won tricks).

Special Cards:

• -1/A+: Always follows the suit. It is considered lower than 0 if played in the first half, and higher than A if played in the second half.
• A+/-1: Always follows the suit. It is considered higher than A if played in the first part, and lower than 0 if played in the second part.
• -2 ❤️: A card lower than 0 in the ❤️ suit. If the trick starts with the ❤️ suit and this is the only ❤️ card in the hand, it must be played.
• +0.5 ⬆: Always follows the suit. It is worth 0.5 more than the card previously played. If the player wins the trick with this card, they choose if the trick counts toward the first half (horizontal) or the second half (vertical).
• Q+: A Q card that always follows the suit. It is higher than other Qs, but lower than K and A. If the player wins the trick with this card, they must transfer it to the other half (vertically if in the first half, or horizontally if in the second half).

End of Game and Scoring

Scoring: Each player calculates the difference between the number of horizontal tricks (won in the first half) and vertical tricks (won in the second half). This difference is your score, regardless of which number is higher.
Example: 1 horizontal trick and 2 vertical tricks = 1 point.

Winning the Game:

• Standard Play: After 3 rounds, the player with the fewest points is the winner. If there is a tie, the tied players must cut a fruit of their choice exactly in half and weigh the halves; the one with the smallest difference between the halves wins (or they can share the victory).
• 2 Players: Instead of individual points, players compete for victories. The player who scores the fewest points in a round receives 1 victory. The first player to reach 2 victories wins the game.
• Partnership Mode (4 players): Players sit alternately. Each player gives their 6-card pack to their partner to play in the second half. Tricks are counted together for the team. The team with the fewest points in a round receives 1 victory. The first team to reach 2 victories wins.

Tips for Winning

Consulte o manual para detalhes sobre esta seção.