No.251

Pig's Tail: Match-and-Collect Cards

Japanese name: ぶたのしっぽ

Materials

Shuffle and arrange all cards face down in a large, slightly overlapping ring. Leave its centre clear for a face-up pile.
Agree who starts and the direction of play. On each turn, take one card from the ring and place it face up in the centre. The first card simply starts the pile.
Compare the card just played with the immediately previous top card. If either suit or rank matches, the player who just played takes the entire centre pile.
Keep collected cards separately in front of you; do not play them again this round. If neither suit nor rank matches, leave the centre pile in place. Either way, pass to the next player.
Finish when the face-down ring is empty. Ignore any cards still in the centre. The player who has collected the fewest cards wins.

Preschool children: match suits only. Primary school children: match suit or rank.