How to Play Yaniv
Description
A fast draw-and-discard game where the aim is to get your hand value as low as possible, then call it at exactly the right moment. Too early or too late and it costs you.
Also known as: Yanif
Objective
Keep the total value of your hand as low as possible, and call "Yaniv" the moment you think you're lowest at the table.
Setup
Any number of players, using a 54-card deck (a standard deck plus two Jokers).
Deal five cards to each player. The rest forms the draw pile, with one card turned up to start the discard pile.
Rules
On your turn, discard a single card, a set of matching cards, or a run of three or more in sequence within a suit — then draw a replacement from the draw pile or discard pile.
Number cards count at face value, face cards count as 10, and Jokers count as zero.
Once your hand totals 7 or less (or whatever limit your group agrees), you can call "Yaniv" instead of discarding, ending the round immediately.
Winning
Everyone reveals their hands. If the caller genuinely has the lowest total, they score zero for the round and everyone else scores their hand's value.
If someone else ties or beats the caller's total, the caller is penalized 30 points instead, and that other player scores zero.
Lowest cumulative score across rounds wins — players who cross an agreed point limit (often 200) are eliminated, and the last player standing wins.