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Yatchaba [やっちゃば] is a guessing game played using Hanafuda cards.
It is designed to be played by 4 to 6 players, although it is possible for more or less people to participate in the game.
48 cards of a standard hanafuda deck are used.
It is also possible to play using other kinds of cards, such as western playing cards (remove the 10’s from the deck), or mekurifuda decks with 12 numbers on them.
Chips are used for keeping track of scores.
First, determine the dealer and seating order using any method you prefer.
The dealer shuffles the deck and places three face-down cards on the table. The rest of the deck is placed face-down near the dealer.
During one game, each player gets a chance to be the “guesser” in the game, starting with the dealer (first guesser) counterclockwise.
The dealer tries to guess what months the 3 face-down cards on the table are.
After the dealer declares their guess, each player, starting with the dealer counter-clockwise until the player to the dealer’s left, places an amount of chips into the pot, with each player placing a higher amount than the previous player.
For example, in a 4-player game, the dealer places 1 chip into the pot, the 2nd player places 2 chips, the 3rd player places 3 chips, and the 4th player places 4 chips.
In the book “28 Kinds of Hanafuda Games” each player must follow a specific order of amounts to be placed on the pot: 3, 7, 11, 12, 16, 22, 26, 30, 31, 35, 41, 45, and 50. 50 is the maximum amount; if a player places 50 chips, the next player places 50 chips as well. However, in practice, this is not followed.
Once the player to the dealer’s left (“last player”) has placed their chips into the pot, that player has the choice whether to continue the sequence of placing chips or to stop it.
If the last player chooses to continue, then all players, starting with the dealer and ending with the last player, place even more increasing amounts of chips into the pot. Then the last player chooses again whether to continue or stop.
For example, in a 4-player game, the 4th player chooses to continue. The dealer then places 5 chips into the pot, the 2nd player places 6 chips, the 3rd player places 7 chips, and the 4th player places 8 chips, then the 4th player chooses again whether to continue or stop. If the 4th player chooses to continue, then the dealer places 9 chips, the 2nd player places 10 chips…
However, if the last player chooses to stop, then the dealer reveals the 3 face-down cards by flipping them face-up. The dealer then checks if their prediction is correct.
The guesser shuffles the deck and places three face-down cards on the table. The rest of the deck is placed face-down near them.
The guesser tries to guess what months the 3 face-down cards on the table are.
After the guesser declares their guess, each player, starting with the guesser counter-clockwise until the player to the guesser’s left (“last player”), places an amount of chips into the pot, with each player placing a higher amount than the previous player, just like in the previous round. Again, the last player has the choice to continue or stop the round of placing chips on the pot.
Once the last player chooses to stop, then the guesser reveals the 3 face-down cards by flipping them face-up. The guesser then checks if their prediction is correct.
The game ends when a player has guessed correctly, or if all players have had their turn to be a guesser.
Players may choose to start another game, if they wish.
If nobody won the game by guessing correctly, then the dealer of that game takes 20% of the pot, and the rest carries on to the next game.
Note that the 20% going to the dealer is treated as a consolation for being the first player (since the dealer had to guess without any information), rather than a rental fee (terazen) for the gambling parlor.