To play the card game Pit, players rapidly trade cards with each other, aiming to collect all nine cards of a single commodity before yelling “Pit!”
Ever felt the urge for a fast-paced, trading frenzy? The card game Pit is exactly that. It’s a game of quick thinking and even quicker hands, where the goal is to be the first to gather a matching set. Understanding how to play the card game pit isn’t complex, but mastering the chaos definitely requires some practice.
This article will guide you through the simple rules so you can dive right in. Get ready to experience the excitement of shouting “Pit!” before your opponents do. Prepare to sharpen your trading skills and outsmart your friends.
How to Play the Card Game Pit
Pit is a fast-paced, exciting card game that’s all about trading and shouting! It’s a game that’s easy to learn, but hard to master, making it perfect for game nights with family and friends. If you’re looking for a game that gets everyone involved and a little bit noisy, then Pit is the game for you. Let’s break down exactly how to play, so you can get right into the action.
The Basics: What You Need to Know
Before you start trading and yelling, you need to understand the core of the game. Pit uses a special deck of cards, and the objective is simple: be the first player to collect all nine cards of the same commodity.
The Pit Deck
Instead of regular playing cards, Pit uses a deck with pictures of commodities (like wheat, barley, or coffee) and a bull card. Each commodity has nine cards, and there is one bull card. The number of players determines how many commodities you use in the game. The number of commodity cards you will need to play are as follows:
- For 3 players, you use 3 commodities (27 cards).
- For 4 players, you use 4 commodities (36 cards).
- For 5 players, you use 5 commodities (45 cards).
- For 6 players, you use 6 commodities (54 cards).
- For 7 players, you use 7 commodities (63 cards).
- For 8 players, you use 8 commodities (72 cards).
The Bull card is used when playing with more than 3 players and is mixed in with the commodity cards. For example, for 4 players, you use 4 commodities along with the bull cards. If you have 5 players, use 5 commodities along with the bull card.
Objective of the Game
The main goal is to gather all nine cards of a single commodity. So, if you want to win, you need to collect all nine Wheat cards, all nine Coffee cards, or any of the other commodities included in the game.
Setting Up the Game
Getting started with a game of Pit is easy peasy! Here are the steps:
- Choose Your Commodities: Decide how many commodities you will be using based on the number of players as indicated in the table above. Remove the unused commodities and set them aside.
- Shuffle: Shuffle the selected commodity cards and the bull card very well. Make sure they’re mixed up thoroughly.
- Deal: Deal nine cards to each player. It is not necessary for all players to have the same card count.
That’s it for setup! You’re now ready to begin the trading frenzy.
Trading Cards
The trading phase is where the fun truly begins. Here’s how it works:
Calling Out Trades
Instead of taking turns, players trade cards simultaneously. You don’t want to show the other players the cards you are trading. So, you will keep your cards face down in your hand. You will call out the number of cards that you want to trade, for example “One”, “Two”, “Three”, or “Four”. You are free to call out the number of cards that you need to trade. You may need to trade cards that you need also. Remember to call out your trade quickly since you are trading simultaneously.
The Trading Process
When trading, you have to trade the exact number of cards you call out. If you call out “two”, you must trade two cards. This is how the trading process unfolds:
- Pick Your Trades: Look through your hand and decide what cards you want to trade away. Choose cards of the same commodity. It is necessary for all the cards to be of the same commodity type that you choose to trade away.
- Find a Match: At the same time, players call out the number of cards they want to trade.
- Make the Exchange: Trade with any player who is offering the same number of cards.
- Repeat: Continue trading until someone collects all nine cards of one commodity and calls out “PIT!”
For example, if you want to trade three wheat cards, call out “Three”. If you hear another player calling out “Three”, immediately trade with him. You don’t have to call out what commodity you are trading, just call out the number of cards you want to trade away. The other player may not be aware of the exact commodity you are trading and vice versa.
Trading Tips
Here are some good strategies you should keep in mind when trading:
- Trade Quickly: Be fast and decisive. The faster you trade, the better your chances of collecting the cards you need.
- Listen Carefully: Pay close attention to other players’ calls. This can give you an idea of what cards they might have.
- Strategic Trading: Sometimes, it’s good to trade away a card that you need to acquire more cards of the same commodity.
Calling “PIT!”
Once you have all nine cards of the same commodity, you must immediately call out “PIT!”. Calling out “PIT” is very important in this game. If you have all 9 cards and you don’t call out “PIT”, it is not counted. You must be the first player to call out “PIT”, in order to win the round.
The round immediately stops when a player calls “PIT”. Other players do not have the opportunity to trade any more cards. That means that they must hold on to the cards that they have. The player who calls “PIT” shows the nine cards of the same commodity that he/she has. This confirms that the player has won the round.
Scoring and Winning the Game
Pit isn’t just about winning individual rounds; there’s an overall game score too! Here’s how the scoring works, and how you win the game:
Scoring Each Round
The player who calls “PIT!” receives points based on which commodity they won. The point values are as follows:
| Commodity | Points |
|---|---|
| Wheat | 100 |
| Barley | 80 |
| Corn | 70 |
| Rye | 60 |
| Coffee | 50 |
| Tea | 40 |
| Sugar | 30 |
| Cocoa | 20 |
The bull card is worth negative 20 points. If you happen to call “PIT!” using the bull, your point score is reduced by 20.
If no one calls out “PIT!” after a lengthy trading time, the round can be considered a tie. No points are awarded.
Winning the Game
You keep playing rounds until one person reaches a set number of points. Typically, the number of points needed to win is 500. So, the player who has the highest score by reaching 500 points, wins the game!
Advanced Strategies
Once you get the hang of the basic rules, you can start using advanced strategies to improve your gameplay. Here are a few tips:
Knowing What to Trade
Be mindful of the cards you trade. While you may be tempted to trade away cards you have lots of, you may also consider trading away cards you only have one or two of, and see if you can get more of them. You might be close to winning, and not even know it!
Keep a Poker Face
Don’t let other players know what cards you need. Maintain a neutral expression and avoid making obvious plays that can give away your strategy. If you look very excited when trading or very disappointed when trading, the other players will be able to know what you have.
Aggressive Trading
Sometimes, the best approach is to trade aggressively, even if it means trading away cards you might need. Trading quickly might confuse the other players, and you may receive more cards that you need by using this strategy.
The Bull Card: A Wild Twist
The bull card can be used with any commodity card that you have in order to call “PIT!”. If you have 8 wheat cards, and the bull card, you can call out “PIT!”. If you have 6 sugar cards, 2 coffee cards, and the bull card, you must not call “PIT!”. It is very important to have 9 cards of the same commodity type, in order to call out “PIT!”. Only the Bull card can act as a wild card. When using the Bull card, you need to be wary of the negative point it gives if you call “PIT!” using it. This is very risky, since you are subtracting 20 points from your points score.
Pit is a game that’s all about speed, strategy, and a little bit of chaos. It’s a fun game that’s easy to learn and can lead to many exciting game nights. Now that you know how to play, grab your friends, shuffle the cards, and let the trading begin!
How To Play Pit
Final Thoughts
The goal is to quickly collect nine identical commodity cards by trading. Players yell out “corner” to begin trades. Trading occurs simultaneously, and each player swaps one to four cards at a time. The first player to collect nine matching cards shouts “Pit” and wins the round.
The fast-paced action makes quick thinking vital. Players must observe what other players are exchanging and figure out which commodity cards they need to complete their set. This simple yet chaotic game shows how to play the card game pit.
