Pegs and Jokers (or Jokers and Pegs)

Object: to move all five pegs, clockwise around the board, from your HOME position, to your SAFE position.

Players: Six players use the outside board and three decks of poker cards with the Jokers (two per deck). Play is either three, two person teams or two, three person teams. Four players use the inside board and three decks of poker cards with the Jokers (two per deck). Play is two, two person teams. Two players use the inside board and three decks of poker cards with the Jokers removed.

Game Pieces: Each player chooses five pegs in a unique color.

Winning: first team to have all of their pegs in the SAFE position wins the game.

Dealing: deal each player five cards. Player to the left of the dealer draws one card from the deck, makes play and discards card. Penalty: if player fails to draw a card from the deck prior to making a play, on the players next turn he draws two cards, but cannot play or look at them until his next turn, but must play from the four cards he has in his hand.

Card value for making board moves: play begins by using a King, Queen, Jack or Ace to move a peg from any of the five HOME positions to the COME OUT position. If you do:

Ace moves forward one hole
2 moves forward two holes
3 moves forward three holes
4 moves forward four holes
5 moves forward five holes
6 moves forward six holes
7 moves forward seven holes, but can be split between two pegs
8 moves backward eight holes
9 moves forward nine holes
10 moves forward ten holes
Jack moves forward ten holes
Queen moves forward ten holes
King moves forward ten holes
Joker is a wild card and replaces any other peg in play with your own peg. If you replace your partners peg, he goes to his IN SPOT. If you replace an opponents peg, he returns to his HOME position.

Anytime, your peg lands on your partners peg, you send him to his IN SPOT.
If your peg lands on your opponent's peg, he goes back to his HOME position.
Once a peg is in the SAFE position, it is safe and cannot be removed.
You cannot back into the SAFE position.
When entering the SAFE position, if your only move is for more holes in the SAFE position, you cannot enter the SAFE position and must go around again.
You cannot pass, or land on, your own peg. This is true even when you are in the SAFE position.
You must move if you have a play.
You must use the full count of the card played; i.e. a four card requires four moves, even into the SAFE position.
Each player must play his own pegs until all five pegs are in the SAFE position. Then he can help his teammates. When playing with six players, you will help the teammate player to your left, if he still has playable pegs. Once all of his five pegs are in his SAFE position, then you can help the remaining teammate.

Hints for good play: avoid, if possible, positioning your peg....... 1) at any of the corners 2)in the opponents COME OUT spot 3)in the opponents IN SPOT

Variations of Pegs & Jokers (Compiled By: Larry Hatcher)

As many as four(4) more jokers can be added to the deck.
Many games are played with as many as ten players. And it is much more fun and exciting this way, especially if you add another deck and at least four more Jokers!
Another hint for good play: 1)the area between the opponents COME OUT and IN SPOT tends to be a safe area.
"Social Security" A version that is played the same way except for the following moves:

9 card move is split backward and forward in any combination. Examples: One(1) space backward and Eight(8) spaces forward. Or, three(3) spaces backward and five(5) spaces forward, etc.
Jack moves forward eleven holes
Queen moves forward twelve holes
King moves forward thirteen holes