How to play Dutch Blitz

A Dutch Blitz set: each player has a 40-card deck with its own back design (cards 1–10 in red, blue, green, and yellow). The base game takes two to four players; an expansion pack adds more.

Score the most points over several rounds. You earn points for cards you get into the center piles and lose points for cards stuck in your Blitz pile; the usual target is 75.

1. 1Each player shuffles their own deck and counts 10 cards face up into a stack: this is the Blitz pile, with only the top card in play.
2. 2Next to it, deal three cards face up in a row as your post piles.
3. 3Hold the remaining 27 cards face down as your wood pile. The middle of the table stays open for the shared Dutch piles.

1. 1On “Go,” everyone plays simultaneously, one hand only.
2. 2Any 1 can start a new Dutch pile in the center. Dutch piles are built up in order from 1 to 10 in a single color, and anyone may add to any Dutch pile.
3. 3Your post piles build downward, alternating between boy and girl cards. When a post pile empties, fill it from the top of your Blitz pile.
4. 4Turn cards from your wood pile three at a time and play the top card of that waste when you can.
5. 5The top cards of your Blitz pile, post piles, and wood waste can all go to the Dutch piles.

• The round ends when a player empties their Blitz pile and calls “Blitz!”
• Sort the center piles by card backs. Each player scores 1 point per card they placed in the Dutch piles and loses 2 points per card left in their Blitz pile.
• Play rounds until someone reaches the target score.

• With only two players, some families lay out more post piles to keep the game moving.
• The expansion deck adds four more card backs so up to eight can play.
• Some groups turn the wood pile one card at a time to make the game easier for children.

• Emptying your Blitz pile is the priority—each card left there costs double.
• Watch the Dutch piles nearest to 10: other players need the same cards, so play yours the moment it fits.
• Play with a soft touch: grabs for the same pile are part of the fun, but bent cards are not.