Yaad Treasures is a fun and strategic card game that blends elements of Jamaican culture with exciting gameplay mechanics. Players aim to create high-scoring sets while protecting their cards from opponents. With unique Special and Wild Cards, players can enhance their sets or sabotage others. Understanding how to play the game is the key to becoming a true Yaad Champion.

Goal: To have the most Yaad Points at the end of the game. Yaad Points are earned by Creating Yaad Sets.

1. Starting the Game:

• Players choose from three modes on the main screen:

  • Practice: Play against the AI for single-player mode.
  • Online Multiplayer: Compete against random players in a multiplayer environment.
  • With Friends: Create private tables with friends using codes.

2. Playing with Friends:

If selecting “With Friends,” players can either:

• Create a Table: Host a new match and share a unique 6-digit code.
• Join a Table: Enter a 6-digit code shared by a friend to join their table.
  

3. Game Setup:

• Each player starts with 8 cards.
• The rest of the deck is placed face down to form a draw pile, and a discard pile is created beside it.

4. Turn Sequence:

Each player’s turn involves the following steps:

1. Draw a Card: Take a card from the draw pile or the top of the discard pile. (Base cards Only)
2. Main Phase: Choose one of the following:
   • Play a set (See #5).
   • Use a Wild or Extra Special card (See #6).
   • Discard a card to end your turn.
3. End Phase: Turn will end automatically when a set is made or a Wild Card is used. (You will still need to discard a card if Thunderstorm or Fisherman was used)

5. Building Sets:

What is a Set?
A Yaad Set is a collection of at least 3 of the same base cards from within the same suit. There are 5 suits in Yaad Treasures: Reggae (red), Dancehall (green), Landmarks (blue), Heroes (purple) and Cuisine (yellow).
For example, a Reggae Yaad Set can be made with three Bob cards. Likewise, a Cuisine set could be made with three Jerk Chicken cards.

6. Special and Wild Cards:

Special and Wild Cards are the twist in Yaad Treasures. Use them to change the game’s course, add versatility to your sets, and outmaneuver your opponents. Here’s what each type of card does:

• Protection Cards: Lock your set and prevent disruption.
• Represent: Cards that can be used in place of a Base card to complete a set of 3 (e.g. Jerk Chicken, Jerk Chicken,  Rum Punch (Cuisine Represent))
• Mix and Match Cards: Cards that allow you to make a set which includes 2 Base cards of the same face value and mix it with another Base card in the same suit (e.g. Jerk Chicken, Jerk Chicken, Spice it Up (Cuisine  Mix & Match), Ackee & Saltfish)
• Wild Cards: Create chaos! Examples include:
  • Hurricane: Force an opponent to discard a set.
  • Bruk Out: Unlock a protected set.
  • Fisherman: Retrieve a special card from the discard pile.

7. Set Locking and Protection:

Protecting your sets is crucial for maintaining your points. When you add a Protection Card to a set, it becomes locked. No one can steal, destroy, or modify it—unless they play a Bruk Out card. Choose wisely when to protect, as once a set is locked, you cannot expand it further. The right timing can be the difference between victory and loss.

8. Game End and Winning:

The game ends when the last card is drawn from the deck and all players have completed their final turn. At this point, players count the points from their completed Yaad Sets. The player with the highest number of Yaad Points wins the game and is crowned the Yaad Champion! In the event of a tie, the player with the most protected sets wins.

9. Advanced Strategies and FAQs:

For a deep dive into set rules, turn strategies, and FAQ, click here.