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Home Page > Classified Index > Combat Games > Cuttle
Cuttle
[cuttle]
Players: 2
52
This 2-player game which appeared in North America in the 1970's is
slightly reminiscent of later commercially successful combat games
such as Magic the Gathering though the similarity is probably a
coincidence.
Class: Combat Games
Browse classification network
Region: USA, Britain
Difficulty
[?][?][?][?][?]Popularity
[?]Trend
* Introduction
* Players and Cards
* Goal
* Set-up
* Play: Card types - One-off Effects - Permanent Effects
* Variants
* Other Cuttle Pages
* Cuttle Online
* Richard Sipie's FAQ
Introduction
The exact origin of this unusual two-player game is unknown. Dating
from the 1970's at the latest, it is the earliest example I have
found of a combat card game. The aim is to be the first build a
layout worth at least 21 points. Cards can be used for their point
value, or to attack your opponent's layout by destroying or capturing
cards.
For some years a FAQ by Richard Sipie, first published in 2000, was
the only generally available documentation of the game. I am grateful
to Michael Pearson for his help in preparing the new description on
this page and to Greg Pallis, an enthusiastic player and winner of
the Cuttle tournament in the 2009 Mind Sports Olympiad, for answering
my various detailed questions about the rules.
Players and Cards
Cuttle is played by two players using a standard 52-card deck without
jokers.
Goal
The goal is to be the first to accumulate 21 or more points worth of
point cards on your side of the table. The first player to achieve
this wins the game.
Set-up
Each player has a hand of cards, normally held concealed from the
opponent. The dealer deals six cards to himself and five to his
opponent. These are the players' initial hands. The remaining deck is
placed face-down and becomes the draw pile. The dealer's opponent
then takes the first turn.
During the game, players play cards from their hands, placing them
face up on the table in front of them. This way each player forms a
layout of cards on their own side of the table.
Various actions cause cards to be discarded. Discarded cards are
stacked face-up next to the draw pile so that only the top card is
visible. This pile of discards is called the scrap pile.
Play
On your turn you must perform exactly one of the following actions:
* draw a card from the draw pile and add it to your hand
* play a point card from your hand
* play a one-off effect card from your hand
* play a permanent effect card from your hand
The turn then passes to your opponent.
If the draw pile runs out, then instead of drawing a card, a player
is allowed to pass, i.e. do nothing at all on that turn. If there are
three consecutive passes the game ends and neither player wins.
Card types and how to use them
In Cuttle there are three categories of card: point cards, one-off
effect cards and permanent effect cards.
1. Point cards
Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 can be played as point cards.
Aces are worth 1 point. Number cards are worth their face value.
There are two ways to play a point card:
a. A point card can be played face-up on your side of the table.
These cards add up to form your total points. The first
player to accumulate 21 total points wins the game.
b. Alternatively, a point card can be played as a 'scuttle'
allowing you to remove an opponent's point card from the
table. The point card you play must be higher in value than
the card you wish to scuttle, or equal in value with a higher
suit. The rank of the suits is clubs (lowest) < diamonds <
hearts < spades (highest). So for example the diamond7 can
scuttle the club7 or the heart6 but the diamond7 cannot
scuttle the heart7. To scuttle an opponent's point card,
place your card on top of it and discard both cards to the
scrap pile.
2. One-off effect cards
Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 can be played as one-off effect cards.
One-off effect cards are never placed on the table but are
discarded into the scrap pile immediately after use. See the list
below for a description of each effect.
3. Permanent effect cards
8, Jack, Queen, King can be played as permanent effect cards
Permanent effect cards are played face-up on the table like point
cards, though note that the 8 is turned sideways. A permanent
effect lasts for as long as the card is on the table. See the
list below for a description of each effect.
One-off Effects
Ace
Scrap all point cards on the table - both yours and your
opponents'.
2
There are two possible ways to use a two as a one-off effect
card.
a. Play a two in your turn to scrap any permanent effect card on
the table.
b. Play a two to block a one-off effect card played by your
opponent. This is the only case in which you can play a card
during your opponent's turn. Your two and your opponent's
one-off effect card are both scrapped. Note that a two can be
used to block a two: if you play a one-off effect and your
opponent tries to block it with a two, you can use your own
two to block your opponent's two. Both twos go to the scrap
pile and your original one-off effect card takes effect
(unless of course your opponent then plays another two to
block it again).
3
Rummage through the scrap pile and add a card of your choice to
your hand. Since the 3 is not scrapped until after its effect has
been carried out, you cannot use this effect to take back the 3
you just played.
4
Your opponent must discard two cards of his choice from his hand,
showing them to you before placing them on the scrap pile.
5
Draw the top two cards from the draw pile and add them to your
hand.
6
Scrap all permanent effect cards on the table - both yours and
your opponents'.
7
Draw a card and play it immediately however you wish.
If you draw a card that cannot be played immediately it is
discarded, but if it can be played you must play it, even if it
is to your disadvantage. For example a jack might have to be used
to give a point card to your opponent.
9
Return any one permanent effect card on the table to its
controller's hand.
Note that if you use this to return a jack, the point card that
it was stacked on changes sides.
Permanent Effects
8
While you have an 8 on the table as a permanent effect card, your
opponent must play with the cards in his hand exposed. The 8 is
placed sideways on the table, distinguishing it from point cards
and making it look like a pair of glasses.
Jack
Transfer control of a point card. The jack is placed on top of a
point card and both cards are moved across the table, changing
the owner. Multiple jacks can be stacked on top of a single point
card, and the ownership changes each time a jack is added or
removed.
Naturally you would normally play a jack on a point card
controlled by your opponent, moving it to your side of the table
so that it becomes yours. However, if you were to draw a jack as
a result of the one-off effect of a 7 when your opponent had no
point cards, you would be forced to play it on one of your own
point cards and pass it to your opponent.
If a point card is scrapped, either by an effect or by scuttling,
any jacks upon it are also scrapped.
Queen
All your point cards and permanent effect cards on the table
other than queens are defended from effects that target single
cards. Queens protect against 2, 9 and jack effects, but not
against an ace or a 6, since these target multiple cards. Queens
do not protect against scuttling (scuttling is not an effect).
Since queens do not defend themselves or other queens, you can
use a 2 to remove an opponent's queen.
If you play a 2, your queen on the table blocks your opponent
from countering it with his own 2.
King
The number of points you require to win the game is reduced
according to the number of kings on your side of the table as
follows:
+ No kings: 21 or more points;
+ One king: 14 or more points;
+ Two kings: 10 or more points;
+ Three kings: 7 or more points;
+ All four kings: 5 or more points.
Variants
The following improvements to the game have been suggested.
Fours
Greg Pallis recommends that when a four is played as a one-off
effect, the two cards scrapped from the opponent's hand should be
chosen at random. The opponent's hand is shuffled face down, two
cards are drawn from it, exposed, and discarded to the scrap pile.
This rule change encourages aggressive play, makes the four stronger,
and somewhat weakens the power of twos, since if you keep them in
your hand they are vulnerable to a four attack.
Eights
Daniel Goers suggests that an 8 can be played as a one-off effect
card to scrap a 8 that is on the table as a permanent effect card.
Both 8's are discarded to the scrap pile.
Nines
In the standard rules, nines are almost useless as one-off effect
cards. You might use one to remove a jack from a point card
controlled by your opponent if that immediately won the game. In any
other case, your opponent can immediately undo the effect of the nine
by simply putting the permanent effect card back on the table.
I suggest the following amended rule. When you play a nine as a
one-off effect, you return one permanent card of your choice to your
opponent's hand, and your opponent must wait at least one turn before
playing that card again.
Reddit user gaylordqueen69 has suggested a more powerful use for the
nine. When you play a nine as a one-off effect you take one permanent
card of your choice from the table and place it face down on top of
the draw pile. This card will therefore be acquired by the next
player who draws a card.
Tens
Daniel Goers suggests that a 10 can be used as a one-off effect card
to block a scuttle. The 10 and the card played as a scuttle are
discarded to the scrap pile and the card that your opponment was
trying to scuttle remains in place.
Queens
Reddit user beamer159 has suggested a variant in which although a
queen does not protect itself, it does protect other queens.
Therefore if you have two queens they protect each other as well as
your other permanent effect cards and can only be removed by a six.
Joker
Daniel Goers suggests that one Joker can be added to the deck. It is
played as a one-off effect and causes the players to exchange hands
with each other.
Other Cuttle Pages
Jared Miller has published a revised and clarified set of Cuttle
rules on github.
The Cuttle page by gaylordqueen69 on Reddit includes an amusing
rewrite of the FAQ, some suggested rule changes, and carries comments
including a completely revised schedule of one-off effects suggested
by beamer159.
Cuttle Online
You can play Cuttle online against human opponents at Ryan
Emberling's Cuttle site.
Richard Sipie's Cuttle FAQ
For reference, I have reproduced below copy of Richard Sipie's
original Cuttle FAQ, published in 2000, which used to be at
geocities.com. An archive copy of the original page is also
available. I have tried and failed to contact Richard Sipie to ask
his permission to publish this. If anyone has any further news of him
or his plans for this FAQ, please let me know.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
1. What is Cuttle?
Cuttle is a game for 2 players, played with a simple 52-card pack.
The objective of the game is to have 21 points worth of "Point Cards"
on the table. A game takes approximately five minutes, although
anything between twenty minutes and twenty seconds is possible!
2. How do I play it?
Play begins with the dealer, who deals six cards to himself and five
to his opponent. This opponent then takes the first turn.
On a turn, a player may play a card (see #3), or draw one. If a
player has 21 or more points worth of "point cards" on the table at
the end of his turn, that player is victorious - otherwise the turn
passes to his opponent.
3. What do the cards do?
Firstly: ANY numbered card (A-10) may be played as a "point card". In
this case, the player puts the card face-up on the table in front of
him, and it is worth as many points as the are spots on its face (1
for an ace, etc).
Secondly: ANY numbered card (A-10) may be played, instead, as a
"scuttle". In this case, it is played ON TOP of a point card which it
exceeds in value*. Both cards are then moved directly to the scrap
pile (face up, as is everything there)**.
*: Value is not just numerical, but alphabetical: clubs - diamonds -
hearts - spades. The eight of clubs will scuttle the seven of spades,
but not the eight of hearts.
**: Cards in the scrap pile have no controller, and do not effect the
game in any way.
Finally:
The numbered cards may all be played as a one-off, except for the
eights and tens. In this case, they are placed directly into the
scrap pile, with the following effects.
ACES: Put all point cards on the table into the scrap pile.
TWOS: Place any card on the table into the scrap pile, except a point
card. (In practice, Kings, Queens, Jacks and the "glasses" eight)
OR
Place any one-off just played into the scrap pile. This occurs before
the effect of that card is accomplished, and, uniquely, can be played
during the opponents turn, as well as your own.
THREES: Rummage through the scrap pile, taking a card of your choice
into your hand.
FOURS: Opponent must discard two cards of his choice from his hand
into the scrap pile.
FIVES: You may draw two cards.
SIXES: All cards on the table except for point cards are moved into
the scrap pile.
SEVENS: Draw a card. You can, and must, play this card immediately -
whether as a point card, a scuttle, a one-off, whatever. If you are
unable to play the card, it is discarded. (This may only happen in
the event of drawing a jack).
NINES: Return any permanent card to its controller's hand.
--
ROYALTY can only be played on your turn, and count as no points.
JACKS: Are placed on top of a point card already on the table. Kept
there, the card is moved across the table and is now owned by the
opponent of its original owner (who is generally your opponent!)
QUEENS: Are played on the table, like a point card. With a queen in
play, none of your other cards may be the target of opposing cards
that target a single card, such as jacks and twos. However, this
offers no protection against those like aces that target more widely,
even if there is only one card the table that will be effected. Nor
do Queens offer any protection against scuttle attacks.
KINGS: Are played like queens. With a king in play, a player can win
with just 14 points worth of point cards on the table. With two kings
he needs just ten, with three, seven, and with all four just five
points! (Mathematically, a player needs 21/(1.5^k) points to win,
where k is the number of kings controlled by that player).
--
THE "GLASSES" EIGHT
The final card! As well as a point card, an eight too has a secondary
use, although it is not a one-off. Instead, the card may be placed
rather like a king or queen, but at right angles to the opponent (and
his other cards). This differentiates it from point card eights, and
simultaneously makes it look like a pair of glasses! The effect is
that the opponent must play with his hand exposed until he finds a
way to transfer the eight to the scrap pile.
And we're done!
4. What happens if the pack is exhausted?
Although I am no authority, I can find no other guide to the question
online. The rule I have played for twenty-five years is that it is
unfair (and dull!) to end the game while a win may still be forced.
Therefore, I play that "taking a card" in this situation becomes an
effective pass, and that if three of these occur in a row, it is only
then that the game is declared a draw.
5. Can I play a two to "counter" a point card? How about a scuttle?
The single most common question I am asked :-). Players who are used
to Magic: The Gathering are often surprised to find out that this is
not allowed - a two is not a universal counterspell. It may only
"counter" a one-off, nothing else.
6. Do Queens protect against "countering" twos?
The second most common question I am asked :-). The answer is yes:
queens prevent the targeting of any single card controlled by that
player, however briefly.
7. May a two be used to cancel an opponent's two?
Absolutely! A last-in, first-out order seems the only sensible one to
employ - i.e. in this situation the last-played card (the second two)
moves the first to the scrap pile. From there it cannot effect the
game, so the original card is played unscathed.
8. May I use a three to rummage for the three I just played?
I don't think so. Since cards in the scrap pile do not affect the
game, I believe a card sits in a kind of suspension until its effect
has been resolved. This also gives clarity to the protection of
one-offs by queens.
9. Suppose the only point card on the table is mine, and my one-off
seven comes up as a Jack. What happens
To me, the only logical answer is that the card switches sides, with
the jack on top of it!
10. This game is has similarities with Magic: The Gathering!
It's been remarked on. It does however predate it considerably - I
learnt the rules in 1975. A reverse genealogy would be fascinating -
I would love to know if Richard Garfield has heard of the game.
J. Who is the author?
Richard Sipie has been playing games since 1951. He also enjoys
walking, collecting (especially theatre paraphernalia) and flattery
:-). He is happily married and lives in Bloomington, IL.
R.Sipie, 2000
(do E-mail me!)
[but the address given - richardsipie@yahoo.com - unfortunately no
longer works - JM]
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