unlucky 13 is one in a million

While some people are superstitious of the number 13 it's been a simple solitaire game for me for a long time!

It's actually quite fun, and I've made two video's in hopes to teach both a new solitaire game for adults and a learning of addition to children!

I name it One In A Million because that is about how many times it takes to win the game. Right when I thought it was impossible to win, and was ready to give up, I won! I was so excited that I ran and got my camera and took a photograph! Of course you can look at it and think maybe I set it up to win, but I did not! I was up north, and quite bored, and sleeping on the sofa in the den at my parents house. There was a coffee table there, so I had a nice comfy place to play. I played the game over and over, and it was there, in the middle of playing time and time again, that I won!

I'll give the simple rules so you'll know what to look out for, and maybe a better explanation of how to play or even teach someone, perhaps a child a fun way to learn addition quickly! I'm not good at teaching others things, but I do know this game is great at teaching addition quickly because of it's intrigue of the number 13.

I'd like to say, if you make it close to the bottom of the deck, as many times as I have, that I've counted the number of cards left over. If you do this, never expect to end up with 13 cards left over. It's mathematically impossible to end up with 13 cards left over because you're working with an even number 52 cards in the deck and you'll be laying out an even number 12 cards.

The object of course is to run out of cards, the ONLY way to win is the last card will have to be a face card, as that kills or ends that stack! Then you must move on to the next card place.

As I say in the video it's not good to lay out all 12 of the cards at once, as I've tried it this way for years and never have came close to winning the game! So I find it best to play one slot at a time! Plus in teaching a child to add, it is way less confusing!

As I noted in the game I did not set the cards up to know I would win! The game was true in full, and I tried to keep my hands, as I said in full view of the camera so there would be no question of me cheating and putting a face card on the bottom, since that IS in fact the only way you're going to win!

I tried to go over it sort of slowly, and I'm glad that the games were short, so if you want to learn the game, or teach it to your child or anyone who wants to learn to add quickly, it's a good start on the way to adding at least what numbers make up 13.

Of course there's other math involved, but if you don't make it the issue to a child, they'll not view it as a learning tool but rather just trying to beat the game. They'll learn that 6+4=10 not 13, and so on!

As with other card games the Ace can mean different numbers like maybe a 1, or like in rummy or other card games it's the highly coveted card! Like poker, you definitely would love to get all 4 aces! ha, but in this game, it's just plain old 11! That way you have the 2 to match up to it an equal 13.

Math was never a strong point with me, but just in playing this game over the years rather than same old solitaire it has more of a thought process in addition, and thus, has taught me any time I'm doing a simple add that say, my favorite number which has always been 8 comes up, I have no problem with thinking it out in my head I need a 5 because that's what it's going to take to equal 13! Now I just know it when I see it! :) So this has been a fun game for me, and I hope you enjoy it as well!

Since I didn't even come close to winning in this game, I made another video going a little bit slower, so you can get a closer idea of the game! I realize there's not two video's needed because they can be paused, but just seeing it slower might help remember that you can't move ahead, and could relive someone of the dreaded number 13!

I don't have that superstition as I mentioned, and I don't think there's a need to cut the deck either! Those were just examples. Below find a slower play of the game, remembering that I have not made any changes in the cards, keeping my hands in view of the camera at all times! It's pure luck if I win, or if I lose! ah, I'll let you see! Either way, check out my photo below to see that I indeed did win the game, and it IS indeed possible, and I like to name it One In A Million because as I mentioned I did win several times, but it was over a few years of playing, so IT IS POSSIBLE to win this game!

If you're teaching this to a child, it's imperative that they understand that winning is POSSIBLE without cheating by putting any face cards on the bottom! It's important that they know and understand it's wrong to cheat, and cheating does not help you in life or in games! What fun is that? :)

If you look closely you'll see that I had a different deck of cards in that I used when I won the game. I don't think there is any superstition to the type of cards, just that they are all there!

I have to say I was quite happy to get that win and I'm glad to share this with whoever might find it a fun game, whether a learning tool for fun, or just to pass time when you need to!

In either event, just ENJOY! And I hope you find the victory of a win before a million! :)