Object Of Nertz
The object of Nertz is to score 100 points as quickly as possible in as few hands as necessary.

Number Of Players
Two opposing teams, of two members per team, may play. One member is the Dealer and plays cards from the Dealer Stack, the other plays cards from the Nertz pile. A single player may oppose another single player and perform both tasks.

Game Layout
A. Dealer
B. Nertz Card Player
C. Common Scoring Area
D. Dealer Stack
N. Nertz Pile
T. Team Play Area

Team Play Area

The Nertz Deck
Each Nertz deck includes fifty-two (52) cards numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 ,5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 in four suits. The Blue, Red, Yellow and White suits have corresponding colored numbers. The Nertz deck also includes two cards that have the Nertz logo in black and white. Two Nertz decks (one Red, one Blue) are required to play Nertz.

The Shuffle
Shuffle the opponent's deck of Nertz cards. When each dealer has completed a fair shuffle, exchange decks. No further shuffling or cutting of the deck is permitted.

The Deal
The dealer for each team will begin the deal by laying out four cards, face-up, in a single row, directly in front of the dealer. (This is the Team Play Area.) Then a single stack of thirteen cards is dealt face down to the dealer's left. This stack of cards is known as the Nertz Pile. After all thirteen Nertz Pile cards are dealt, the complete Nertz Pile is turned face up. Players may look through the Nertz Pile at any time but the pile must never be shuffled or the order altered. Nertz Pile cards are always played in order, face up, from top to bottom.

Sequence Of Play
Once play has begun, the cards laid out, face up, that can be played, including the top Nertz card, may be played - immediately! Remember, the first team to play the last of their thirteen Nertz Pile cards (and loudly say Nertz!) ends the hand. The advantage is that the opponents have to subtract remaining Nertz Pile cards, times two, from their score. Cards are played in sequence in the Team Play Area. Cards are stacked from high (on the bottom) to low (on the top) leaving the top number of each card showing as each succeeding card is played on top, the cards being closer to the dealer than the bottom. Red or Blue suit cards must alternate with either White or Yellow suit cards when playing to the Team Play Area. (See Team Play Area illustration.) Any card or group of cards from one of the four Team Play Area stacks may be moved to another Team Play stack as long as it maintains proper sequence. If play empties one of the four Team Play Area stacks a NERTZ Pile card should be immediately played to this open space to maintain play. Whenever a "1" card of any suit, from either team is uncovered, either member of the team uncovering the card should immediately play the card face up in the Common Scoring Area. (See Game Layout illustration.) All cards played in this area count as one point for the team playing that card.

Once play has begun, Nertz Pile cards may be played at any time during a hand, either to the Team Play Area or directly to the Common Scoring Area, whenever a play is available. At no time may cards be played to an opponent's Team Play Area. Cards of both teams will be mixed only in the Common Scoring Area.

The Play
Play begins when a signal, usually a nod of the head and a verbal "begin", is announced. As previously mentioned, cards from the Team Play Area and the top Nertz Pile cards may be played first if a play is available. Cards from the Dealer Stack (the remaining thirty-five cards after the deal) are turned over in a group of three at a time, face up, in front of the dealer. Only the top card showing may be played. If it is played, the next card showing may be played. If the card turned face up does not play on one of four starter cards in the Team Play Area or in the Common Scoring Area, count out three more cards, in the same fashion, from the Dealer Stack. Keep turning over three cards, playing all that will play, until you have gone through all the cards in the Dealer Stack. Without shuffling the Dealer Stack, turn it over and repeat the process. Continual movement of cards from the Dealer Stack to the Team Play Area provide flow of potential point cards to the Common Scoring Area and new places for Nertz Pile cards to be played.

There may come a time in the play when there is not a play to be made by either team, to either the Common Scoring Area or the Team Play Area. When this happens, both teams, at the same time, transfer one card from the top of the Dealer Stack to the bottom of the Dealer Stack. If a fourth stop in play happens from both teams, that hand ends. The score is taken, each team having to subtract their remaining Nertz Pile cards, times two, from their score.

Scoring Points
Points are scored by moving cards from the Nertz Pile, the Dealer Stack and the Team Play Area to the Common Scoring Area, making separate piles of the same suit beginning with a "1' card and ending with a "13" card. Plays in the Common Play Area may be played by members of either team. Playing a card first will quite often block a point for your opponent.

Play will end when one team plays their last Nertz Pile card, or play has stopped because both teams have had a stop in play more than three times. A designated player will separate the cards from the Common Scoring Area into decks played by each team. Subtract the number of your team's unplayed Nertz cards, times two, from your total of your cards played to the Common Scoring Area. This is your score for the hand. A minus score is possible. Add your score on a score pad, and play sufficient hands until one team reaches 100 points. Cards remaining from the Team Play Area or the Dealer Stack count neither for nor against the scores.

Congratulations! You Now Know How To Properly Commit...NERTZ