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 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.
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)
