## hpr2172 :: Dutch Blitz Table Top Game

 Dutch Blitz Tabletop Game
Origin
Dutch Blitz was created by Werner Ernst George Muller, from
Pennsylvania, in the United States, in 1959. It is similar to the game
Nertz, which is played with standard playing cards. Nertz had been
around since the 1940s. It isn’t totally clear to what extent Mr
Muller was influenced by the game of Nertz. He was an optometrist and
it is said that he thought the game might help his children learn
about colors and numbers.
Theme
The game has a theme that originates with the Pennsylvania Dutch
culture, which was formed by early German immigrants to eastern
Pennsylvania in the United States. The symbols used on the cards are
representative of that culture, which tended to be agricultural and of
a conservative protestant Christian faith.
Cards
Each player has their own deck of cards. The standard set has 4 decks,
so it can accommodate 2-4 players. There is an extension pack that adds
4 more decks, supporting 4 more players. Each deck has 40 cards made
up of number cards from 1 through 10 in four different colors (suits):
red, blue, green, and yellow. Additionally, the red and blue cards
have a picture of a boy and the green and yellow cards have a picture
of a girl. The decks are differentiated from each other by a symbol on
the back side of each card. The four standard decks have the following
symbols: pump, buggy, plow, and bucket.
Piles


Blitz Pile - A pile of 10 cards that are dealt by each player before
game play starts. One of the goals is for the player to get rid of
their Blitz pile. When one player clears their Blitz pile, the round
is over.


Post Piles - Three piles of cards to the left of the Blitz pile that
are used by the player to help sort through cards during the game
play. These piles begin as 3 cards dealt out by the player before
game play. Cards can then be added to these piles in descending order
and alternating “gender”. If one of the Post piles is cleared, the
player may take a card off of their Blitz pile to start a new one.


Wood Pile - During game play, the player rotates through their deck
by taking 3 cards, face down, and turning them face up and placing
them on the Wood pile. The top most card is available to be played.


Dutch Piles - During game play, players can start a Dutch pile when
they have a playable card with the number 1 on it. These piles are
placed in the middle of the table. The piles can then be built up,
in sequential order and of matching color. Any player can play a
card on any Dutch pile.


Game Play
The game is played in rounds. The players do not take turns. When play
starts, all players begin playing at the same time as fast as they
can. When a player is able to clear their Blitz pile, they shout the
word “Blitz” and all play must then stop. That is the end of the
round.
Points
When the round ends all of the cards that have been played on the
Dutch piles are sorted into their representative decks. Each player
counts the number of cards that they have played and then subtracts
two times the number of cards left on their Blitz pile. That is their
score for the round.
In order to maximize one’s points for a round, the objectives are
two-fold. You want to play as many cards as possible on the Dutch
piles, but you also want to get rid of as many cards on your Blitz
pile as possible.
References

https://www.dutchblitz.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Blitz
https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Play-Dutch-Blitz-aka-Nerts/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nertz
https://www.amazon.com/Dutch-Blitz-201/dp/B000BBU0KS

