I love playing board games with my children, in this electronic age with their computers and games consoles I try to make sure we try and have some family time and play a good board game together. We have all the usual suspects including Monopoly (god knows how many versions!), Cludo, Payday and a range of others.

My mum actually introduced us to this game she brought it with her when we were all on holiday to play in case it rained, luckily it didn't rain but we became hooked on the game and ended up sitting up very late arguing and sulking with each other! You see this game can cause normal rational (not that there are many of those in my family!) people to get a bit hot under the collar!

So why would I recommend a game that causes us all to argue? Well because to be honest it is addictive and my family could argue over a game of noughts and crosses! So what is this game all about?

HISTORY

Rummikub pronounced Rummy-cube was invented in the 1940's by a Romanian inventor called Ephraim Hertzano. He wanted a game that he could play with all his family, as cards were not allowed in Romania at that time, so Ephraim dreamed up this addictive game trying to keep it as close to a card game as possible. He made the tiles out of recycled Perspex airplane cockpit canopies, as this was cheaper than plastic.

He then introduced it to all his family and friends, he made the sets himself out of his small workshop and then after quite a few years of doing this he had managed to make Rummikub into a worldwide game sold in 48 countries and printed in 24 different languages, not bad for a game made in a small workshop!

CONTENTS

The game consists of 106 tiles numbered 1-13 in four different colours and two sets of each colour, blue, red black and yellow you also have two jokers. The tiles are cream in colour and rectangle in shape. They are quite sturdy and measure 3.75 cm x 2.75cm they feel quite nice and smooth in your hand and also have a circular indentation where the number is you also get four grey plastic racks and an instruction booklet.

AIM OF THE GAME

The aim of the game is simple, to be the first player to shout Rummikub after getting rid of all their tiles and annoying the life out of everyone else!

PLAYING

First you need to set the game up which is very easy, I hate board games that have loads of fiddly bits that get knocked over. I would get yourself a nice bag to put the tiles in as this makes things much easier than having them all over the floor they are less likely to get lost.

To start each player picks one tile from the bag and the person with the highest number gets to go first, play then moves clockwise from that player. Every player then picks 14 tiles each from the bag and put them onto your rack, the tiles that are left become the pool. You then have to take a moment to sort out your tiles and arrange them in the best way that suits you, personally I sort mine into colours first and then runs or same numbers.

So you are now ready to play, to start the game off you can't lay any tiles down until the tiles that you have grouped reach 30. This can be a bit frustrated as I normally have a low run or group and can't go! It can also mean that you have a few combinations that would get rid of most of your tiles but because they don't add up to 30 you still can't go! If you can't go you have to pick a tile from the pool, which again can be frustrating if your run or group doesn't reach 30 as you can end up with loads of tiles to get rid of.

To add to the frustration you only get a minute to sort out and lay your tiles and this can cause some real arguments with my lot as none of them seem to have any concept of time and think a minute lasts for 5! Unless it's my turn and it seems to speed up!

Each set has to have a minimum of 3 tiles and they can consist of:

A run... tiles of the same colour for example 5,6,7,8

A number group ... tiles of the same number has to be different colours for example 6,6,6,6 one of each colour.

Once you can finally go this is the way you can get rid of your tiles:

Obviously you can still put a run or a group down as long as there is 3 or more tiles

You can add a tile on to an existing run or number group

You can take a number from an existing run of 4 tiles and add it to your own to give you a run as long there is a minimum of 3 tiles left and they still run in order.

You can also split a run to make 2 runs for example if there is a run of 5,6,7,8,9 and you have the other 7 you can add the 7 to make 5,6,7 and the 7,8,9 as long as the tile you add is the same colour.

If there is a few runs or same number groups you can also break all these up to add your own tiles as long as the groups you make all have 3 tiles minimum and make correct runs or number groups.

There are also the 2 jokers and if you are lucky enough to get these they can become any number or colour that you chose but remember if you lay the jokers as say a black 10 then if another player has the real black 10 they can put that in the jokers place and take your joker and use it for themselves, the only draw back to the joker is if you do take one from the tiles that have been laid you must use it in the same turn.

Also if your minute is up without you finishing your turn you have to take 3 tiles from the pool! If when it is your turn and you can't go then you also have to take a tile from the pool this can also be frustrating as you can sometimes be left with loads of tiles and unable to shift them.

There now doesn't that all sound a nice simple game!!! Actually it isn't as hard as I have made it sound, to be honest once you have played it a few times it really is easy!

The winner is the person who shouts Rummikub first, but if you are playing a few games you can keep score and with this game the scoring is a bit different. The losers have to add up all the numbers they are left with and that becomes their minus score and the winner adds everyone's left overs together and that becomes their plus score. See how simple they have made it!!!!! We normally keep a running tally and add them up after about 20 games to see who the winner is, oh and just a word of warning if you get lumbered with the joker at the end in your rack that is an automatic 30 points!

COST

We got ours as a present for my eldest but I have looked around and it can be anything from £22 down to about £10 depends where you get it from but most toy shop chains do stock it or of course there is always E-bay and Amazon.

SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN?

My monsters are 12 and 9 and the eldest one loves it although he is so bloody competitive it drives me mad! He doesn't need me to help him as he is always beating me! My younger monster has just started getting into it and does need help on occasions but seems to manage quite well even though he may miss the odd move, even he has started to beat me! Just to add my youngest is allergic to anything that he feels is learning outside of school but I do feel this does help him with numbers and simple adding and subtracting, we just don't tell him! The ages on the box are for 8 upwards and I do feel that's about right.

WOULD I RECOMMEND IT?

I can honestly say yes! It really does get you thinking and scheming and can also be frustrating especially when someone shouts Rummikub just as have worked out a way to get rid of your last tile! but all in all it can get very addictive and it is a game that we actually play as a family including the other half! I love the fact my boys enjoy playing it and they actually ask us to play it with them so it does actually bring people together!

Property of lisa8871 & madmum71