Introduction
Stealing Bundles, also known as Steal the Old Man’s Bundle, is a fun and unpredictable fishing card game typically played by children. The game helps develop number recognition, matching skills, strategy, and memory.
What is Needed
- Standard 52-card deck
- 2 to 4 players
Objective
The objective of the Stealing Bundles card game is to gather the largest bundle or stack of cards by the end of the game.
Deal and Setting Up
One player is the dealer. The dealer shuffles the deck and deals 4 cards face down to each player. Then 4 cards are dealt face up in a row in the center so all players can see them.
The remaining deck is placed facedown beside the dealer to use later.
Gameplay
The player to the left of the dealer starts.
On a turn, a player plays one card from their hand face up. If the card matches the rank of any face-up center card, the player takes those matched cards and places them face up in a pile in front of them to start their bundle.
If a played card matches the top card of another player’s bundle, that player steals the entire bundle and adds it to their own.
- After all players play their 4 cards, the dealer deals 4 more cards to each player.
- Play continues until all cards have been played.
- Any center cards left are given to the player who made the last match.
Ending
Once all cards have been played, each player counts the number of cards in their bundle. Whoever has the largest bundle wins.
Stealing Bundles Rules Summary
In short,the essential rules for Stealing Bundles are as follows:
- Take turns playing clockwise
- Play 1 card from your hand each turn
- Match ranks to take center cards into your bundle
- Steal bundles by matching the top card
- The largest bundle at the end wins
Strategy Tips
Keep track of what’s been played
Pay attention to what cards have already been played from the center row and other players’ bundles. This will help you remember what ranks are still out there to match and steal.
If you see a lot of face cards have already been played, you may want to hold onto any in your hand since there will be fewer out there to steal yours later.
Save high-ranking cards
Try to avoid playing your King, Queen, or other face cards too early unless you have a guaranteed match or steal. Higher-ranking cards are more powerful for stealing bundles, so you want to hang onto them until an optimal time.
Variations and Alternative Names
- Steal the Old Man’s Pack
- Steal Pile
- Casita Robada (Spanish deck, counter-clockwise) – played in Argentina
- Rubamazzo (Italian deck, counter-clockwise) – played in Italy
