Okay, let me take a deep breath, clear my throat, and drink something more potent than root-beer. It’s that dark secret Gin-Go lovers don’t speak about, at least only to their psychiatrist or another Gin-Go lover. There can be some exhaustive, mind-boggling, tooth-and-nail, hours-long bouts of Gin-Go. Especially “One on One” games.
I must have played Gin-Go over 1,000+ times since its creation in 1976. When played “One-on-One,” an exciting game can take about thirty to forty-five minutes, and a quick game takes about five to ten minutes. Every once in a while, however, I’ll come across a player who plays his/her cards with a unique understanding of the “Gin-Go board.”
They study the board, not only from their end but from my end. Molding their spreads accordingly to “connect” their link or destroy my link. Some players aren’t randomly making any old spreads; they’re doing their best with the hand that’s dealt them.
Usually, your first or second hand will lay a foundation on the board that will show strengths and weaknesses for you and your opponent. The board will tell you what cards you need to win and what cards they need to win. Are you holding their cards? Can you tease them with juicy cards to pick up from the discard pile? Knowing full well that you can go out and capture the cards in their hand?
Do you pay attention to the cards they keep in their hand and seem reluctant to discard? Every Gin-Go player will develop a “style” of play. Can you learn another player’s style in enough time to use it against them? There’s so much strategizing to Gin-Go; someday, someone will write a book on it. I’m sure, or at least attempt to. Don’t look at me; my time is spent designing games.
How can a “One-on-One” game take up so much time as opposed to team play? First, there are fewer cards to capture when going out, maybe 1 – 5. In Team play, should a player go out after a seven-hand deal, they can capture 21 cards (from other players). Placing 21 chips on the Gin-Go board. I find playing with Jokers as wild cards helps the game go faster or a least adds a good sucker punch to the game.
Even dealing the “maximum” number of cards allowed might help, but it’s no guarantee against a good opponent. Team play will always take less time than “One-on-One.” On rare occasions, I have been in team games that last over an hour.
I’m putting it out there only because I’ve been asked two questions. Can Gin-Go be played by three people? Working on it. - Can Gin-Go be played by teams of three people? While I don’t know if it has ever been done. I, however, would offer a “yes.” Give it a try, allowing the range of cards being dealt – any odd number from 1 to 7, the “standard” being 5 cards. If you include Jokers as wild cards, game time might be under fifteen to twenty minutes. It could push Gin-Go into a parallel universe.
Attached are photos of nine hands dealt, three-hour long, unfinished One-on-One game of Gin-Go. To be completed at a later date.
Board Progression of a 2-Player Game
The next grouping of photos (team played) shows two “finished” games, about twenty to twenty-five minutes each. Gin-Go is one of those games; the more people there are, the less time it takes to play.
Board Progression of a Team Game
However, don’t get me wrong, One-on-One, while a brain drain, is dynamic and keeps you on your toes, like going up against Jordon or Ali. You feel great after the challenge, win or lose! If you ever get a three-man team of Gin-Go together, send us photos, and we’ll post you. Gin-Go, the more the merrier.
Comments