Straight-Up GeoChallenge:  2 Players

What You Should Know Before You Play

The object of the game is to be the first player to use what you know (or learn) of U.S. geography to get 50 points by guessing the states of the GeoPlunge cards your opponent has.  Don’t worry, you’ll get clues about your opponent’s cards before you have to guess. Which clues you get will depend on what GeoChallenge cards you pick.  Some GeoChallenge cards will tell you exactly what clue you’ll get, and some give either you or -- gasp -- your opponent some choice as to what the clue will be. 

Of course, you’re not the only one doing the guessing.  Your opponent is trying to guess the states of your cards too.  So to win, you’ve got to do a better job of guessing than your opponent.  Your goal is to guess the states of your opponent’s GeoPlunge cards before he or she guesses your states. 

Use the GeoPlunge and GeoChallenge cards.  The GeoPlunge cards are shuffled only before the game begins.  Place the GeoChallenge cards to the side after they are used, and shuffle that deck when all have been used.

How to Play

To start the game, deal each player 1 GeoPlunge card.  The dealer makes the first guess in the game.  The players then take turns trying to guess the state of the other player’s card. 

Whenever you guess your opponent’s card correctly, you put that card (which your opponent will then discard) in a pile next to you so you can keep track of how many of your opponent’s cards you guessed.  Your opponent will then take the next card in the GeoPlunge deck (which is your opponent’s new card).

What to Do When it’s Your Turn to Guess 

§         Before you guess, pick the top card in the GeoChallenge card deck and read it out loud.  Based on what that GeoChallenge card says, your opponent gives you a clue about his or her card.  Then make your guess. 

§         Each time it’s your turn to guess, make only 1 guess.   

What to Do When it’s Your Turn to Give a Clue

¨      Each time it’s your turn to give a clue, give only 1 clue about your card.      

¨      When the GeoChallenge card your opponent picks starts with the words, “Opponent Chooses”, you have some choice as to what clue to give.  When that happens, if you can, you must give a clue other than one you’ve already given about that card.    

Keeping Score

You get 5 points every time you guess 1 of your opponent’s cards.  (If you want to play the extended version of Straight-Up GeoChallenge, you get 2 points every time you guess 1 of your opponent’s cards.  If you want to play the abbreviated version of this game, you get 10 points every time you guess 1 of your opponent’s cards.)