Punto is a card and strategy game for 2 to 4 players, from 7 years old. The aim of the game is to create a series by aligning cards of the same colour. The number of cards to be aligned varies according to the number of players.
Material
- 72 cards of 4 different colours,
- 1 iron box,
- 1 rule booklet.
Aim of the game
- The aim of the game is to create a series of cards of the same colour aligned vertically, horizontally or diagonally.
- The number of cards to be aligned depends on the number of players:
| Number of players | Line-up cards |
| 2 | 5 |
| 3 – 4 | 4 |
How is a game played?
- A game of Punto consists of 2 rounds.
- In each round, the player shuffles his pack of cards.
Set up
- A colour has 2 sets of cards numbered from 1 to 9.
- With 4 players, each player chooses a colour and the corresponding pack of cards.
- With 3 players, the fourth colour, called neutral, is divided between the players.
- With 2 players, each player chooses two suits and the corresponding packs of cards.
- Each player shuffles their cards into a deck, face down, in front of them.
- The youngest player starts.
- Play clockwise.
How do you play?
- On his turn, the player lays down 1 card.
- A card can be placed on top of another card by one side or by one end.
- A card can be placed on top of another card, if its value is higher than the value of the other card. It is said to override a card.
- Be careful! All the cards must form a 6 x 6 square.
End of a round
- As soon as a player has the required number of cards in a row, he wins a round.
- As soon as a player is unable to lay down a card.
- In this case, the player with the most sets wins the round.
- The number of cards in a set changes:
| Number of players | Line-up cards |
| 2 | 4 |
| 3 – 4 | 3 |
- In the event of a tie, the player with the fewest points in his set wins the round.
- The winner of a round discards the highest card in their set.
- The remaining cards are sorted, shuffled and redistributed.
- The first player in the new round is the one to the left of the winner of the round.
- In a 3-way game, the neutral cards played are redistributed equally among the players. Any surplus is removed from the game.
End of the game
- The game ends when a player wins 2 rounds.
- He is declared the winner.
Team variation
Set up
- Give each team 2 packs of cards of two different colours.
- Each team member receives half the cards.
- The teams take turns playing.
Aim of the game
- To be the first team to make a series of 5 cards of the same colour.
