BEANS Classic Card Game from Mexico
Publisher: AVID PRESS
Published: 1990
Place of publication: Rosendale NY
Language: eng
Format: Cards & Beans
Number of pages: 4
Subjects: Game
First sentence: BEANS'
a 1990 AVID PRESS
Win beans for each Ace, Three, Seven, or Pair in this fast moving, clever game for the entire family. It's great on trains and planes, at cafes or at home. Kids love it. For 2 to 4 players, ages: 6 to adult.
Description: THIS DELIGHTFUL GAME WAS INTRODUCED TO US IN A REMOTE MOUNTAIN VILLAGE IN MEXICO. THE CITIZENRY THERE WAS TOO POOR TO WAGER WITH COINS AND HAD NEVER HEARD OF POKER CHIPS. THEY USED WHAT THEY HAD AND WHAT THEY HAD WAS BEANS.

The name Avid Press was derived from our two avid passions-travel and table games. These two addictions have proven to be quite compatible as what better way is there to pass the hours of a transcontinental flight or a lonely evening in a foreign city than with a friendly game of cards? In our early travels we tended to play the familiar games from home. Soon however we became much more fascinated by the various native games encountered in every country we visited. Most of these games are centuries old with rules having been passed down from one generation to the next. All have been honed to perfection by time and, once learned, these delightful games transcend all languages and national borders. Most of all they bring people together for hours of sociable fun and relaxation. We are proud to bring these long treasured games to our friends here at home
Notes: Object of the game:

The object is to win beans by playing a scoring card, making a pair, or going out.

THE PLAY:

Place all of the beans in the center of the table. The dealer gives seven cards (5 cards with 4 players) to each player and then puts 2 cards, next to each other, face up in the center of the table. These are the two play piles. (If either of the play piles shows a scoring card, the dealer receives the appropriate number of beans as outlined below). The dealer places the rest of the deck face down next to the two play piles. This is the draw pile.

By tradition, the play rotates to the right, counter clockwise. The first player to the right of the dealer plays one of his cards face up on either of the piles. The card played must be of the same suit as the card it is played upon or of the same number value. For example; play a gold on a gold, a club on a club, a sword on a sword, a cup on a cup, or a 5 on a 5, an ace (1) on an ace (1), etc. The exceptions are the Wizards (10's) and Dragons (9's), see below.

The player will try to play a scoring card in order to win beans. Only the top card on each pile is considered for scoring.

The next player to the right then takes his turn and play continues until one of the players is out of cards ("goes out").

ACTION AND SCORING CARDS Action Cards:

Wizards (10's) are wild cards. Wizards do not have to follow suit. Wizards may be played, in turn, on any pile. The Wizard changes the suit of the pile it is played upon to the suit shown on the wizard.

Dragons (9's) are wild cards. Dragons do not have to follow suit. Dragons may be played, in turn, on any pile. The Dragon changes the suit of the pile it is played upon to whatever suit is showing on the Dragon. Furthermore, it forces all other players to buy one card from the deck.

When a Dragon is played, each player alternately, starting to the right of the Dragon player, draws one card from the deck and pays one bean for it. Beans paid are put on the bean pile in the center of the table. The person playing the Dragon does not buy a card. If a player has no beans to buy a card, he draws one without paying.
If at any time there are no cards in the draw pile, the played cards (except for the top card on each pile) are shuffled together to form a new draw pile. The top cards remain as play piles so that the game can continue where it left off.

After each person has bought a card the play continues with the next person to the right.

Scoring Cards:

*7's: Play a 7 and win one bean. 

*3's: Play a 3 and win one bean.

*Ace's (l's): Play an ace (1) and win two beans.

*Pairs: Make a pair show by playing on one pile a card of the same number value as is showing on the other pile, and win two beans. For example: If pile A shows the three of cups and pile B shows the eight of swords, playing an eight of cups on pile A makes a pair of eights show. Note: Beans are won for making any pair show, including pairs of Wizards or Dragons. A player making a pair show with 7's, 3's, or aces, wins 2 beans for the pair plus one bean for the 7 or 3 played or 2 beans for the ace played.

*Going out: The player who goes out wins three beans.


If a player cannot play a card of the same suit or same number as either of the cards showing on the top of the piles, (and does not choose to play a Wizard or Dragon) the player draws one card from the deck. This card may be played if it is playable, or the player may choose to keep the card and pass his turn to the next player.

Play continues with each player taking a turn playing a card (and collecting beans from the bean pile when a scoring play is made) until one player is out of cards. This player wins three beans for "going out". All of the cards are then collected, shuffled and dealt by the player to the right of the previous dealer to start a new hand.

The game continues until the last of the 100 beans has been won or the players decide to stop. The player with the most beans at the end of the game is the winner.

Level Two:

Another level of difficulty is added by designating one of the two play piles as the "Pay Pile". A player must pay one bean to the center bean pile when playing on this pile. If a player has no beans, he may play on this pile without paying. The game is otherwise the same as explained above.


We will be glad to answer inquiries concerning this game. Send a S.A.S.E. to:

AVID PRESS, P.O. Box 158, Rosendale, NY 12472
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