How to Play the Fanti Card Game

Fanti is a strategic card game for 2 to 4 players, played with a standard 52-card deck. The core goal is to collect the right cards throughout the game to end up with a higher score than your opponents.

A game of Fanti consists of 5 rounds in total. At the end of each round, players score points based on the cards they've collected. After all five rounds are complete, the player with the highest total score wins.

Starting the Game

At the start of the game, the standard 52-card deck is shuffled.

At the beginning of each round:

• 4 cards are placed face-up in the middle of the table.
• Each player is dealt 4 cards.
• Players can only see the cards in their own hand.
• Once dealing is complete, the round begins.

Who Goes First?

Turn order is determined by the dealer.

The player sitting after the dealer starts the round. Play then continues in order.

At the end of each round, the dealer and starting player roles pass to the next player. The player who started the previous round becomes the dealer for the next one, and the player after them starts the new round.

Playing Cards

Players play the 4 cards in their hand one at a time, in turn. Once a player's hand is empty, 4 new cards are dealt and play continues.

This process repeats until the entire deck has been used.

Fanti's Collecting Rules

One of Fanti's core mechanics is collecting cards from the table using the right combinations.

The collecting system is built around summing to 11, the properties of special cards, and how leftover cards are handled at the end of the game.

Summing to 11

If a number card in your hand plus one or more cards on the table add up to exactly 11, you collect those cards.

The sum must be exactly 11 for a collection to be valid — combinations that fall short of or exceed 11 don't count.

You can use more than one card at once. If a card allows multiple valid combinations, the player may choose which one to use.

Ace (A)

The Ace has a numeric value of 1.

It counts as 1 when summing to 11. An Ace can also collect another Ace from the table.

Scout (S)

The Scout has no numeric value.

Because of this, it can't be used in sum-to-11 combinations.

A Scout can only collect another Scout from the table. If there's no Scout on the table, a Scout in hand must be discarded onto the table.

Mystic (M)

The Mystic also has no numeric value.

It can't be used in sum-to-11 combinations, and it can only collect another Mystic from the table.

If there's no Mystic on the table, a Mystic in hand must be discarded onto the table.

Guardian (G)

The Guardian is a special sweep card.

When played, the Guardian collects everything on the table:

• All number cards
• All Aces

in a single move.

The Guardian's collecting power works independently of the sum-to-11 rule. However, Scout and Mystic cards cannot be collected by the Guardian and remain on the table.

When No Collection Is Possible

If the card played doesn't allow for a valid collection, it must be discarded onto the table.

No card can be taken from the table unless a valid collecting condition is met.

Scoring

At the end of each round, points are scored based on the cards each player has collected.

• Player with the most cards collected: +2 points
• Player with the most Leaf (🍃) cards: +1 point
• 2🍃 (Leaf 2): +1 point
• 10★ (Star 10): +1 point

If a player meets more than one scoring condition in the same round, all the points earned are added together to their total score.

End of the Game

A round ends once the deck and all players' hands are completely empty.

If cards remain on the table, they all go to the player who made the last successful collection.

The game lasts 5 rounds in total. Points earned at the end of each round are added to each player's total score.

After 5 rounds, the player with the highest total score wins Fanti.

Summary of Fanti's Collecting System

• Number cards are collected by summing to 11.
• The Ace counts as 1 in sum-to-11 calculations.
• An Ace can also collect another Ace.
• A Scout only collects a Scout.
• A Mystic only collects a Mystic.
• Scouts and Mystics don't count toward the sum-to-11 total.
• The Guardian sweeps all number cards and Aces from the table in one move.
• The Guardian cannot collect Scouts or Mystics.
• If no valid collection is possible, the card is discarded onto the table.
• If multiple valid collections exist, the player may choose between them.
• Once the deck and hands are empty, remaining cards on the table go to the player who made the last successful collection.
• The game lasts 5 rounds.
• The player with the highest total score after 5 rounds wins.