Directions for the Game Pit

Ring the bell when you've cornered the market in Pit.

Pit brings the excitement of the stock exchange into your home. This fast-paced game is simple yet strategic and is ideal for three to seven players. Nobody takes turns and it can feel like you're actually in the middle of a marketplace where everyone is buying or selling. The game can travel well because there's no board, just a deck of cards, pencil, paper and a bell. Get in touch with your inner trader and corner your very own market.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil and paper
• Paper

Instructions

Set-Up

1. Play with only enough suits of cards as there are players--for example, if three players are playing, use only three suits; if there are five players, use five suits. Also use the Bull and Bear cards.

2. Place the trading bell in the center so that all players can reach it.

3. Shuffle the cards and then deal nine cards to each player. This will get rid of the entire deck. Two players will get one extra card each because of the Bull and Bear cards.

4. Let the players organize their cards to figure out which market they want to corner. Cornering a market means getting all the cards from one suit, like all the barley or wheat cards.

5. Ring the bell and announce "The exchange is open."

Play

1. Trade cards with other players all at once, without taking turns. Do this by shouting "Trade One" or "Trade Two." You can trade up to four cards at the same time of the same suit.

2. Call in return of another player "One, One" or "Two, Two," etc. if you want to take up a trade offered by that player.

3. Keep this going until one player has all cards that are the same suit.

4. Ring the bell first and shout out, "Corner on Barley" or whatever suit you've cornered. This player wins the round and scores the point value of the suit he cornered. This point value is located on the cards.

5. Reshuffle the cards and play as many rounds as needed. The first person to accumulate 500 points wins the game.

The Bull and the Bear cards

1. Trade these cards with other cards as you would normally.

2. Corner the market with eight cards and a Bull card in hand. If you corner the market with nine cards and a Bull card in hand to double your score.

3. End up with the Bear card when the round is over and you lose 20 points. If you end up with a Bull card in your hand and don't corner the market, you lose 20 points. If you have both cards in your hand at the end of the round, you lose 40 points.

References

• Hasbro: Rules of Pit