Need some suggestions...

[TheMarti]

Vicki and I (and possibly Gretel) are going on a ski retreat with our youth ministry the first weekend of February. Here's the thing: None of us can ski. Vicki and I both have messed up knees, and Gretel wants to hang with us. So we're going to be spending the day in the lodge, drinking hot cocoa and playing games.

Of course, we're going to bring the basics: Our Redemption decks, Uno, Blink, Yahtzee, standard card decks, Phase 10, Swap, maybe we'll bring Bang.

We want to try something new though. It needs to be easily portable, because our games are fitting into a standard drawstring bag. It can be a game that is already played with a standard 52-card deck, we just need instructions if we've never played, or something we'd have to buy, as long as it was cheap. So any card or dice games that we can try?

Thanks!
Marti

[Sean]

Apples to Apples.  Other people in the lodge will play with you, I guarantee it.

Sean

[TheMarti]

Oh duh! I didn't even think of that... our youth ministry owns a copy, I'll have to throw it in the pile of stuff we're taking from the church!

[Prof Underwood]

Most card games are best for 4 people.  3 card games that work very well for more than that would be Mao, Scum, and Spoons.  I of course can't teach you the rules of Mao (due to the essence of the game), but Scum (sometimes called King, Queen, Scum or President, VP, etc.) and Spoons are extremely easy to learn, teach, and play.  And they are also a ton of fun.

Another easy travel game that is a lot of fun is Pass the Pigs, but that is totally different

[TheMarti]

I wouldn't be surprised if we had other people play with us as well.. so 4 player ones work too.

~Marti

[Dreamcatchr]

There is also Golf.. Played with the jokers in a regular card deck. If more want to join, include a 2nd deck.

[soul seeker]

I'll rat out Mao....it's basically a quirky version of Uno where you can add rules as you go along but has little socialbility.
President/Scum is by far the most social and adaptable for more people (people can add on after one round at scum).
some fun 2-4 player games for a standard deck are:
    spades (and it's different versions)
    hearts
    euchre
    kings in the corner
    speed
    kemps (can go has high as 8 players--but warning: it is a team game!)
    Bull
    Egyptian Ratscrew
some "trump" based games that are cheap to buy:
    Wizard
    Rook
Other Card games:
    Skip Bo
    Lost Cities

I hope this helps!

[Cameron the Conqueror]

Must kill soul seeker for revealing of hidden knowledge........

[soul seeker]

yeah, but you don't know some of my crazy rule additions....those are my secrets.