Date: April 9, 2019
Every time, you see me post on Instagram about me playing “Love Letter” with my sons. So, I bet you wonder what kind of card game is this “Love Letter”.
Today, I will try my best to explain this game. And why I think it is a fun game, and it is a fast pace, lots of strategies, and logics card game.
So, this is the Love Letter pouch.
Inside the pouch, you have these.
- 16 game cards
- 4 instruction cards
- 13 affection tokens
The aim of the game. So, to set up the game. In 2-Players game. You need to give each player a card. This card is only for you eyes only. Don’t let other people know what is your card.
Then, for 2-Players game, you need to remove and HIDE one card. No one knows what is this card. It is all guessing. So, even down to the last two cards, you should not know exactly what the opponents is holding. Because of this hidden card.
Then, remove 3 more cards and place it in the discard pile face up. This is to make the game even faster, so, 3 cards were revealed.
The aim of the game is very simple. Each turn, you draw a card, and decide which card you want to play and keep the other card secret. So, when you play the card, you also execute the effect of the card you played.
The winner is the last person who still in the game. The aim is to apply the effects of the certain card and kick people out of the round.
Yup, you hear correctly. There is only 16 game cards to deal with. Let’s introduce them.
There are 5x Guard cards. When you play this card, you must GUESS what is your opponent card? If you have more than 3 players, then, you can pick a player and name the card he has in hand.
If you guess correctly, your opponent is out of the round, means, you kicked him out of the game.
The only type of card you cannot call is the GUARD card itself. Means, you cannot guess your opponent has a GUARD card.
So, this is pure luck. You can simply anyhow name a type of card, and if you lucky, you make one player out of the round.
It is also the smallest rank card in the round. You see the 5x stars on the left below the “1”? That means you have 5x of the same card type. So, you must always look at your discard pile and count and remember how many guard is left.
There are 2x Priest cards. The effect of the card is you can look at one other person card.
For example, this turn, you played the priest card, and you get to know your opponent is having a “Prince” card. Next turn, if your opponent failed to change the “Prince” card in his hand, and you draw a GUARD card, then, you are able to use the GUARD card and call out the “Prince” to him, then, he will lost the round.
Or if you have a Baron card in hand and you are playing a “Priest” card. You know your opponent has a “GUARD” card in his hand, and as long as he did not change his card in hand, then, you can use the Baron card to compare your Baron (rank #3) against his Guard (rank #1). And he will lost the round due to ranking.
There are 2x Baron cards. You can play this card and pick an opponent to compare your card with his or hers. Whoever rank lower, is out of the round.
This is very useful when you have Princess card (highest rank, i.e. rank #8) in hand. It is a sure win.
Even if you have a #7 Countess or a #6 King, there are much higher chance you can win your opponent by playing the Baron card to do immediate comparison.
There are 2x Handmaid cards. Nobody can harm you. No one can apply any effects on you. Very useful to buy time. But some times it is almost like a useless card.
This is an interesting card. There are 2x Prince cards. When you play this card, you can choose to discard your card or make another player to discard his card. Very useful, when your card was revealed, and you want badly to change your card, this will be the card to use. Or if you want to get rid of your opponent card after suspecting he or she has a high ranking card.
There is only 1x King. And when you play this card, you will need to trade hand with another chosen player. So, if you have “Princess” and “King”. You can’t play the “Princess” card, so, you are force to play the “King” card. And thus, your “Princess” is traded with another player. And by this trade, both players will know what card each other is holding.
This is an interesting card. Countess ranked #7. Now, if you have “King” or “Prince” in your hand, and unfortunately, you drew a “Countess” card. Then, you will have to discard the “King” or “Prince” immediately.
One bad thing is, your opponents will know now you have either a “King” or “Prince” or a “Princess”… only 3 choices.
What if you don’t throw the King or Prince if you have Countess. Of course cannot la.
See even the guide book says “Honesty” is a must!
Lastly… the highest ranking card – Princess. You are not allow the discard this card. Once you have it, you need to keep it until the end.
The game is 1min to 5min for each round.
If you win, then, you take a token. For 2-Players game, whoever win over > 7 tokens win the game.
This is no joke. Once we learned how to play this game, it is so easy yet so hard to win all the time. Any one can win and all based on skills and luck.
The key idea is always remember what cards have been played. This is the discard pile.
OK, let’s try to play around or two to get familiarise with it.
Round #1
Player 1 has Guard Card in hand.
And he drew a Priest card. In this case, you want to play the Priest card to try to see what card your opponent has.
OK, your opponent reveals his card as “Guard” also. And you place the Priest card in the discard pile.
Player 2 picked up a Countess card. So, he called out and guess player 1 has a “King” card. NOPE. Wrong.
Now, the Player 1 drew a “Princess card”. So, he played the Guard card, and guess Player 2 has a “Prince” card. Which is wrong.
Unfortunately Player 2 drew a “Prince” card. And he has no choice, have to discard the Countess card.
So, Player 1 was thinking… WHY DID HE THREW the COUNTESS card????? That only means, 3 possibilities. Prince, King or Princess.
Now, since just now, Player 2 has guess Player 1 might have a King, but Player 1 said Nope. So, Player 1 cant be having a King. And Player 2 is currently holding Princess card in hand. So, Player 1 cant be a Princess too. So, it has to be a Prince.
Next turn, Player 2 picked up a King card. And this is disaster. Because, Player 2 have to force to play the King card and trade the hands. So, Player 2 end up have a Countess, and Player 1 has the Princess.
Player 1 got a Baron card in his next draw. And immediately, he played the Baron card, and his Princess ranked higher than the countess, and Player 1 wins!
See, so easy to play.
Round 2
Let’s set up the game. Hide 1 card. Reveals 3 cards in the discard pile.
Player 1 has a Handmaid. And he drew a Guard.
Player 1 played the Guard and guess “Princess”. Nope, Player 2 is not a Princess.
Player 2 also holding a Handmaid. But he drew a Priest. He immediately played the Priest card. And learned that Player 1 is holding a “Handmaid” card. So, player 2 now knows player 1 has a handmaid card, but player 1 does not know what player 2 has.
Player 1 drew a Princess card. so, he played the handmaid card. Nothing can effect him.
Player 2 pick up a Prince card, and decided to play Handmaid too.
Oh no. Player 1 picked up a King and since he has a Princess, so, he was forced to trade his hand. Now Player 1 has a Prince card and traded away his Princess card to Player 2.
Both players knows know what other player has.
Player 2 picks up a Countess. And played the Countess card.
Player 1 still know Player 2 has a Princess in hand. And Player 2 knows Player 1 has a Prince card.
Player 1 drew a Guard card, and go for the kill. Player 1 called out “Princess” and Player 2 lost the round.
So, I must say each round is very fast. And need to use a lot of brain power ya.
If you want to learn more, suggest google “Love Letter card game”. And I found one link which is useful.
Have fun! ok, even if you are 3 years younger, the elder one might not win the younger brother. hahahahaa because of the luck component.
