Ezelen (2015)

Overview

Ezelen is a Dutch public domain party game. It is played with a number of cards dependent of the number of players. If there are four players then the game will be played with four complete sets (for example 4 jacks, 4 kings, 4 queens and 4 aces), when playing with 5 players the game will be played with 5 complete sets, when playing with 6, 6 complete sets will be used and so on.

Before a round starts the cards are shuffled and all the players receive four cards that they will hold in their hands and keep them secretly. Then every turn each player will simultaneous pass a card to the person on the left.

When someone has a complete set in his hands, he gives a not too obvious signal for example constantly blinking an eye or shaking his head. (From that point on the player with the complete set must pass on the card he receives in the same turn to the left in order to keep his set complete.) All the players have to copy the secret symbol. The last person to react looses the round and receives a letter.

The first time you loose a round you get the letter E, the second time a Z, the the third time another E and the fourth time a L. You are the EZEL (donkey) and you loose the game.

The game can also be played as a drinking game where the loser of a round has to drink.