Zero or “Hit Me”
This game is based on the game of Blackjack, but instead
of trying to get a score of 21, your aim is to get a score
of zero.
Materials: a deck of integer cards
For each player, turn one card face down and one face up.
Everyone can see the face-up card, but only the player
gets to look at her face-down card (until the end of the
game, when all cards are revealed).
Each player adds her cards together in her head. Then
he/she may ask for up to 5 “hits” — extra cards which
are dealt face up — for a maximum of 7 cards total.
When everyone is done asking for hits, all cards are
turned face up. Whatever each player’s cards add up to is
her score, and whoever scores closest to zero (the lowest
absolute value) when all the cards are revealed wins that
hand. Winner becomes dealer for the next hand.
Variation: Players can add or subtract each card to try to
get to zero.