How to Play
First, gather 2-4 players around a table. You need space to lay out cards.
Objective
Be the first player to get out of the Basement by getting rid of all of your cards. Or, at least … don’t be the last one out.
Getting Started
- Choose a player to shuffle and deal each player a hand of six cards, clockwise.
- Players pick up their hand and are dealt three more cards that remain face down. These cards are the Basement. (see Figure 1)
- Players select three cards from their hand and place them face up on their Basement cards. These are the Top Cards. (see Figure 2)
- Finally, the remaining cards are placed in the center of the players. This is The Deck.
- After the first round, the last one out shuffles and deals to the winner of the previous hand first.
Gameplay
- The first player discards one or more matching cards face up, creating The Discard Pile.
- If you have fewer than three cards after your play, draw cards to replenish your hand back to three cards. You must have at least three cards in your hand while there is still a Deck. You should not draw cards if you have three or more cards in your hand already.
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The played cards:
- Must match or beat the previous play. For example, if the last card played is a two, you can put down another two or any higher card or a Special Card.
- May be played in pairs, three, or four of a kind. Whether played all at once or in succession by multiple players, four of a kind clears the pile to The Trash. Four of a kind can not be played on higher cards.
- Play continues clockwise.
- If you cannot beat the previous play while there is still a Deck, you may elect to Chance It. Otherwise, you must Eat the Pile by picking up all played cards.
- Once the Deck is gone, players may only play the cards left in their hand.
- When you have played all of your cards from your hand, you begin playing from your Top Cards.
- When you have played all of your Top Cards and all the cards in your hand, you begin playing from the Basement.
- The winner is the first person to get rid of all of the cards in their hand and in their Basement.
- Play continues until only one unlucky player is left holding cards or is the last one out of the Basement.
Special Cards
There are three Special Cards in Basement that can be played on any other card. Each has a unique power.
- Clear – This card clears the pile to The Trash, allowing the player to start a new pile. This is the most powerful card in Basement.
- Reset – A Reset card may be played on any card, and any card may be played on Reset. Reset beats anything, anything beats Reset.
- Blank – Blank cards become whatever they are played on, or with. A Blank card played with a 6, becomes a pair of 6’s. A Blank card played on a 3, becomes another 3. Blank cards change the dynamic of the game and are optional. You may decide whether or not to include them.
Like any other card, Special Cards may be played in pairs, three, or four of a kind.
Chance It
At any time that the Deck remains, you may elect to Chance It instead of playing from your hand. When Chancing It, you flip the top card of the deck onto the pile so that all players can see the card. If the flipped card beats the previous play, play continues. If it does not, you must Eat the Pile.
The Trash
When either a Clear or four of a kind is played, the entire pile of played cards is set aside into the Trash and completely removed from play. Once the pile is moved to the Trash, the player who cleared it starts the next pile by playing a card, essentially taking a second turn.
Eating the Pile
When Eating the Pile, you take the entire pile of played cards into your hand. You then restart the pile by playing whatever you choose.
Playing Top Cards
When you have played all the cards in your hand, you begin playing the Top Cards. During your turn, pick up card(s) from the Top Cards and play them. Top Cards remain in place until each is played, one turn at a time. Pairs and three of a kind may be played together as one play.
If you cannot beat the previous card played, pick up card(s) from your Top Cards and Eat the Pile. After Eating the Pile, you must play all the cards in your hand before you can continue playing Top Cards or Basement cards.
Playing from the Basement
When you have played your Top Cards, you begin playing from the Basement. Basement cards are played one at a time without looking. You are in the dark. Choose wisely! The chosen card must be revealed for all players to see.
If a card played from the Basement does not beat the previously played card, you must Eat the Pile and play all the cards from your hand before returning to playing cards from your Basement.
Scoring
Rounds of Basement may be scored and points accumulated in a session in order to determine an ultimate winner. Play as many rounds as you like but a good number to start with is five rounds.
Rounds are scored like this:
- Everyone gets one point for every player they beat.
- The winner gets a bonus point for winning.
The table below lists all the possible scores:
| No. Players | Winner | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - |
| 2 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
FAQ
What do the symbols mean?
The symbols are all just for fun, to make the game feel spooky. Some you may recognize; some we made up. If you have thoughts on the art, please give us feedback.
Are you allowed to look at cards in the discard pile?
No. It is up to players to remember what has been discarded so far. In a perfect world, the discard pile would remain so neatly stacked that only the last card played is visible.
If the discard pile contains four of a kind, does that still clear?
Four of a kind only clears the pile if they are played consecutively, either by one or multiple players.
If you are playing with Blanks, does three of a kind + one Blank = four of a kind?
Yes! Blanks should be treated as the card they are played with or on for all intents and purposes.
Do you always draw a card after you play a card?
You only draw if you have fewer than three cards in your hand. And then you draw as many as you need to to get back to three.
What if I want to Chance It even though I can beat the previous card?
Go for it!
Can you still Chance It if you have more than three cards in your hand?
Yes. You can always Chance It instead of playing from your hand as long as there is a deck.
Do you have to Chance It if you can't beat the previous card?
No. You can always Eat the Pile any time you want.
Wait. I can Eat the Pile whenever I want?
As long as it is your turn, you can always Eat the Pile and then play.
What if I am down to my top cards and I can't beat the last card?
Pick up a play (single card, pair, etc) from your top cards and Eat the Pile. It is important to remember to pick up card(s) from your Top Cards; otherwise, you could get stuck in the same place forever.
Can I play cards from The Basement after the top card on top of it is played?
You can only play cards from The Basement, after all of your top cards have been played.
What happens if you draw a Clear from The Basement?
It clears the pile and you choose another card from your Basement to start the next pile.
What happens if a Clear is the last card in your Basement?
It clears the pile and the player after you gets to start the next pile.
Who's turn is it?
If you have to ask, it's probably your turn.