Build three caravans, change their direction with queens, and use face cards to help yourself or disrupt your rival.
All six caravans must reach 21–26 before the normal finish. Higher opposing totals win each route.
54 cards selected
Minimum 30 cards · including at least 3 aces or number cards
Customize your deck
Choose from one complete deck and two jokers. Your opponent uses all 54 cards. Each opening hand is guaranteed at least three aces or number cards.
Rules used in this edition
Number cards and aces build your own caravans. Face cards can target either player.
Equal ranks are allowed. Matching the top card’s suit lets you play against the direction; that move sets the new direction.
Queens reverse an established direction. A caravan with fewer than two cards has no direction yet.
Jokers spare the card they target. An ace-triggered joker removes other cards of its suit, including attached face cards.
Opening placements do not draw replacements. After setup, playing or discarding a hand card draws one if your deck has cards left.
A player with no remaining cards skips their turn. If both players exhaust their decks and hands before all six caravans are valid, the round is a draw: no winner is declared early. Equal opposing totals tie that route.
THE GAME GUIDE
Caravan
Build three competing caravans to 21–26, customize your deck, and use face cards to outplay the computer.
How to Play
Start with the full deck or open Customize your deck to select at least 30 cards, including at least three number cards or aces. The computer uses a full 54-card deck. Each player draws eight cards; opening hands are guaranteed three numerical cards.
Select a number card or ace, then choose an empty caravan. Players alternate until both have started all three caravans. No discards, replacements, or face cards are allowed during this opening.
After setup, take one action: play a card and draw a replacement, discard a hand card and draw, or disband one of your caravans without drawing. Select a number to build your side; select a face card, then its target card on either side.
Rules
Aces count as 1; number cards count at face value. A caravan under 21 is too light, one from 21 through 26 is ready to sell, and one above 26 is overburdened. The normal game ends only when all six caravans are valid. Compare each opposing pair: the higher total wins the route, equal totals tie, and the player winning more routes wins the game.
The second different number establishes an ascending or descending direction. Equal ranks and skipped numbers are allowed. A card matching the top card’s suit may break the sequence and sets the direction of that move. Queens reverse an established direction; fewer than two remaining numbers reset it.
A jack removes its target number and all attached face cards. A king doubles the target’s value; two kings make it four times the original value. A queen reverses the caravan’s direction. These face cards may target either player’s number cards or aces.
A joker on a number removes all other cards of that rank across the table. A joker on an ace removes other cards of that suit, including matching-suit face-card attachments. The targeted card survives. Cards in hands and decks are unaffected.
This edition uses one copy of each selected card, up to 52 standard cards and two jokers. An exhausted deck provides no replacement. If a player has no cards left in hand or deck, their turn is skipped. If both run out before all six caravans are valid, the round is a draw with no early winner. Equal route counts at a normal finish also produce a draw.
Strategy & Tips
Build several routes together. With the all-six finish rule, a valid caravan is not locked: either player can still change it before the game ends. Keep track of both sides rather than stopping at your own target totals.
Kings are powerful on modest numbers: doubling a 6 adds six points, while doubling a 10 can easily overload an already full caravan. A jack can remove an opponent’s key card or rescue your own overloaded pile.
Watch the top suit as well as direction. A matching suit or a well-timed queen can reopen a blocked sequence. Before playing a joker, inspect every route: its effect may remove useful cards from your own caravans too.
Choose enough number cards to build reliably, then add the face cards that suit your plan. Discard a stranded hand card to find a better option; disbanding is a stronger reset that costs a turn and gives no replacement.
About This Game
Caravan combines deck selection, number sequences, and tactical disruption. This edition follows the requested all-six-caravans finish and offers a local computer opponent, visible legal targets, keyboard controls, and the same illustrated playing-card deck used elsewhere on Play Porch.
