This
is a unique and fun Italian family game. It involves luck
and a little strategy. It is a good game for a large group,
best with six or more players. Perfect for family
gatherings and Italian classes.
This
newly produced version of the traditional game reflects the popularity of the Italian
TV game show Mercante in Fiera.
This
new and limited edition set has two cello wrapped packs of
40 cards each. The backs of the decks are an attractive
pattern as in an oriental carpet, one red and one blue.
There is also a game board for the Mercante, the auctioneer.
The pictures are clear and cartoon-like, so even if you
choose to play in English, there is no trouble
distinguishing the cards. The words are normal Italian
vocabulary (some versions of the game use nonsense words).
The
plastic coated, triplex card-stock cards are large in size:
3.3" x 4.7" (8.5cm x 12cm) and the attractive box
has an old-fashioned image of shoppers in an oriental
bazaar.
There
are several educational aspects for use in teaching Italian.
Each card has a word that can be spoken in
Italian. The payments and bidding can also be accomplished
in Italian.
You
will need Mercante in Fiera cards and coins or poker chips
for bidding for cards and for prizes.
The
game played with two decks of 40 or more Mercante in Fiera
cards each with a different image on each. The two decks are
identical with different colors on the back. You will also
need coins or poker chips for bidding for cards and for
prizes.
One
of the players is name the Mercante, the merchant or
auctioneer, who leads the game. The Merchant is chosen at
random or by some agreement. While serving as the Merchant,
that player’s ability to win is limited, but the role is
fun and important to enjoyment of the game.
Entering the Game:
Each
player pays a determined amount into the kitty to enter the
game and the Merchant can also pay the same amount and deal
herself in.
The Initial Deal:
The
Merchant takes the red deck, shuffles it, and deals an equal
number of cards to each player, reserving ⅓ to ½ of the deck. Two is a common
quantity, but one or three cards can also be dealt. For
example, if there are 8 players, each could receive 3 cards
and the rest are kept by the Merchant.
The
players turn over their cards and put them in a line in
front of themselves.
The Auction:
The Merchant auctions small groups of cards (usually one to
four at a time, but she can choose how many). She holds the
cards under the table so the other players do not know how
many cards they are bidding for. She then uses all her
powers of persuasion to get the best price for the auction
lot
For
each auction, the Merchant determines the opening price.
Each player is free to offer as much as she or he likes and
can do so as many times as she or he wishes. Before selling
the card to the highest bidder, the Merchant auctioneer must
repeat the bid three times.
The funds from the bids are added to the kitty.
Once
a group of cards has been sold and the payment collected by
the merchant, another group of cards are auctioned, and so
on until the whole first, red deck has been sold out. The
Merchant must announce, in advance, the last auction, saying
“last cards.”
When
a player buys some cards, she places them face up in front
of herself together with the ones she already holds. There
is no limit to the number of cards a player may buy. The
more she holds, the higher the chance to win a prize, but
with a little luck even the starting cards alone may win.
The Merchant usually isn’t allowed to bid because she
knows how many cards are being auctioned. She must depend on
the cards she received on the original deal.
Funding the Prizes:
When all the cards of the first deck have been distributed
or sold, the Merchant takes the second deck, the blue one.
She shuffles and cuts it and takes 3 to 5 cards (judging
according to the kitty funds and the number of the players)
and, without looking at them or letting any other players
see them, lays them outface down on the table. The Merchant
takes the money collected in the kitty and with the other
players agrees on the different prize values for the 3 to 5
prizes and puts the amount on top of each of the face-down
cards.
Discarding the Losers:
The
Merchant takes the remaining blue cards in her left hand and
with the right hand uncovers them one at a time, slowly,
announcing the name and number on the card. The player who
already has a matching card to the one announced by the
Merchant turns it face down or sets it aside because it is
now worthless.
The
remaining cards in the players’ hands, after the Merchant
has been through the entire blue deck, are the winning cards
and each takes the prize according to the card that he or
she holds. The Merchant uncovers the winning cards starting
with the one with the lowest prize and ending with the first
prize.
While
the blue deck is being uncovered, the players can enliven
the game by offering to buy cards from other players, which
cards become more valuable the longer they survive the
uncovering of the blue deck.
Some
insight into play from the website: Andy’s Playing cards
(http://a_pollett.tripod.com/cards4a.htm):
The key to a good game is to choose
an experienced "merchant": he can make the auction
exciting, by alternating the number of cards sold in each
group, so that he will obtain good bids even for groups of
one or two cards. Then, during the second part of the game,
instead of calling out the cards straight away, he will use
personal techniques to stir up the players interest (i.e.
for a card like "the Dog", he might start asking
"Who's got animals? Here is one with four legs... Is
anybody selling his cards?” etc.).
Also other players can take active
part to the game, as they are left free to trade and sell
one or more cards they own, during any part of the game.
Obviously, only chance will decide the winning cards, but
since players very often like to consider some subjects
lucky or unlucky, or simply like or dislike them on a very
personal basis, a fair amount of trades often takes place
during the game, especially during the early and central
stage of the round.
There is no limit to the number of
players who can take part to the game, but good rounds are
played by no less than 6 people.
According to the number of players,
it is possible to vary the quantity of cards dealt by the
merchant at the opening of the game: the average is two, but
when a large party of people is playing, it will be better
to deal only one, so to keep enough cards for the auction.
Names
on Cards
The
pictures on the cards are of objects and persons of all
kinds, common and uncommon. The illustrations are
self-explanatory if a little old-fashioned, for example, the
warrior is in armor.
