Luck Plus (1983)

Luck Plus is a unique card and dice game of number matching. This game is for 2 to 8 players, ages 7 and up. It comes with 108 cards, 2 dice, and instructions. The cards are divided out as follows:

48 GO cards - 4 set, of Green cards 1 through 12
22 STOP cards - 1 set of red cards 1 through 12.
1 set of red cards 1 through 10.
20 TRANSFER cards - 1 set of yellow cards 1 through 12.
1 set of yellow cards 5 through 12.
4 TRANSFER PLUS cards - 1 set of yellow cards 1 through 4.
6 DOUBLES cards
8 LUCK PLUS cards

The object is to be the first player to eliminate all of your cards by matching cards and dice. Each player is dealt 8 cards face up. The remaining cards are stacked face down in the center of the table to form the draw pile. The top card of the draw pile is turned face up and placed next to the draw pile to form the match pile. Each player will then try to get rid of as many cards as possible by matching the numbers on the cards with the numbers on the dice they roll. There’s a bit more to it than that, but you’ll have to see the rules to get the whole picture.

This is an amazing and fairly complex game that has many interesting and unique aspects if you can wander through the somewhat confusing rules sheet that comes with the game. As noted before on the site, this game is a 'press your luck' style game that is steeped in probability and pivotal choices.

Things that set this game apart from others:
-- The cards are dealt face-up for all to see. No reneging or possibilty for someone to peer into someone's hand. (Because the cards are face-up, I actually wrote a computer game that plays this game flawlessly, but it's in an archaic language. Hmmm.)
-- The Transfer cards in the game make each of the players somewhat involved even though it's not their turn. (We played that plain transfer cards could be transferred to anyone, not just the next player.)
-- The game is similar to craps - one of the most exciting casino games out there. It's also similar to the old High Rollers game show bonus game or he solitaire dice game Shut the Box.)
-- There is a decided cut-throat aspect to the game with the rule variation above makes for a contentious game where the leader is never safe.
-- Your dice roll can be used by the following players. This may change your strategy dramatically.
-- And if you're a numbers and probability geek like me, this game seems to spark a new strategy every time you play.

Over the years, we've instituted may variations that are not on the official rules sheet. I may post these in the future.

Ebay has this game for sale almost all the time. Many of the games are barely used as the game seemed to be too confusing for most kids who loved UNO. I have six copies of the game and consider this the best game ever if you want to see the improbable happen!

Our record for consecutive plays (where you can either make a match or make a successful draw) without busting is 16. Insanity! :^)

And I once rolled a 2, 11, and 12 consecutively to win a game. The odds of that are almost 3000 to 1. Of course, we've probably played 3000 games. :^)