Yaniv (card Game) - Game Variations

Game Variations

Because Yaniv is played by amateurs, it has no official rules and several variations exist:

• In some variations, if the joker is held by someone after another player has called Yaniv, the joker is worth 10 points. This makes the joker a much hotter card and leads to it being played on later in the game.
• Another variation is where a joker subtracts 5 points if a player successfully calls Yaniv with it. This makes jokers a much more desirable card.
• The number of decks with which the game is played can be changed (usually one or two, depending on the number of players in game).
• Some play that, when playing with two differing decks, one deck is chosen at the start as the "superior deck." When dealing the cards, if a player receives all five cards from the superior deck color, that player loses 5 points as a bonus.
• The number of cards dealt to each player can be 3 rather than 5.
• The threshold value for declaring "Yaniv" can be altered to 5 or 6 or any other value.
• It can be set that only the top card in a series can be lifted, instead of the top and bottom cards.
• Some play so that you can pick up the card before throwing.
• Some play so that the score multiples that reduce your score is 100 instead of 50. Some play so that only reaching the exact limit (usually 200) reduces your score by 50.
• Some play with an upper limit of 100, instead of 200.
• Some play so that only a successful "Yaniv" makes a player receive 0 points, while calling "Assaf" still gives you your sum of cards, but the "Yaniv" player scores 30 extra points. This might make a player with a sum complementing to a multiplication of 50 want to hold his cards and not call "Yaniv", waiting for another player to do it. Some also play so a "Yaniv" gives the sum of cards while only an "Assaf" gives 0 points.
• In one variation, when a player calls "Assaf",the player who originally called "Yaniv" receives the sum of every players' cards, rather than a set number (e.g. 30), adding a further twist to calling "Assaf".
• Some players allow to say "Yaniv" when the sum of the cards exceeds the number determined. In that case, the player will get scores equal to the cards in his hands plus 30. A player can deliberately say "Yaniv" to reach a multiple of 50. In this case, the other players will get score equal to the sum of the cards in their hands, except those with 7 or less. This move is actually a self-"Assaf".
• Some players give bonuses for several consecutive "Assaf"s or "Yaniv"s.
• Some players give a bonus of 25 points to any player who has amassed 5 "Assaf"s or "Yaniv"s.
• Some play so that if a player calls "Assaf" six times in a row, their score is set back to 0.
• There is a variation of calling "Shraga" instead of "Assaf".
• To "Steve-O" or "BinnyG" someone is to intentionally drop low cards in the last round of play, so the person who picks them up can become an "Assaf" and defeat whomever called "Yaniv".
• Since the game is meant to be played very quickly, individuals are encouraged to plan their move ahead and not stall. Stalling is known as "Tranning".
• Another variation is that if a player picks up a card from the deck (NOT the stack of played cards) that is the same face as the card the player has just played or can be added to the beginning or end of a series the player has just played then that player can play that card immediately, so long as it is done before the next player plays their card(s). This introduces an important element of speed. The next player can play as soon as the previous player has played their card(s) and does not have to wait for the player to pick up a card from the deck. This is known as "Lironing". When this move is executed successfully, other players are encouraged to yell "You got Lironed!"
• Some players prefer to use a smiley face to indicate a Yaniv win. Three smileys in a row earns the player a -10 to the score and a totem pole is drawn from the smiley faces. In addition, a player earns a hatted smiley face if they Assaf someone.
• To increase the aspect of speed in the game, some players allow the complementing of thrown sets during a discard. For example, if one player played two 5's, another player could quickly put two more 5's on top of them before the next person discards. This cannot be done by the person directly after the player who laid the original pair. Any pairings can be made, such as a set of three on one, two on two, or one on three.
• There is a variation in the Netherlands whereby the first defeated player is called Laurens 1, the second Laurens 2 and the third Laurens 3. This continues until there is only one player left.
• 'Pedro' Yaniv is a version which makes playing with lots of players much more interesting. It is played with two or more decks. In this version a player holding a card identical (number and suit) to any card at the top of the played stack may play their card out of turn and call 'Pedro!' Play stays with the original person and does not pass to the 'Pedro'ing player. The 'Pedro'ing player does not then replace their card with a card from the deck,. A 'Pedro' may be played at any time, however if a 'Pedro' is played incorrectly (heart on a diamond etc.), late (such that when the identical card hits the stack the player currently taking their turn has already played another card) or if 'Pedro' is not called, this is classed as a 'Mis-Pedro' and the 'Pedro'ing player must take the card back and pick up one penalty card from deck.