the $20 draft, rules
The $20 draft rules, in order.
Two players, $20 each, a hidden deck, five picks. This page is the short version. The reserve rule in full, and the host controls, are on the how-to-play page.
free · no account · about two minutes
1. The budget is the scoreboard
Both players start with $20 and the same number of roster slots. Whatever you don't spend, you keep. There's no points system.
2. The deck deals the cards
Nobody picks who comes up. The server shuffles a hidden list and turns over one name at a time, so neither player can plan around the order.
3. Bid or give
Whoever is up either takes the card at the $1 minimum, after which the other player can bid it up, or gives it to their opponent for free. A given card still fills a slot on the opponent's roster. Giving is limited, so it isn't a way out of every card.
Bids go up in dollars while a clock runs. The server decides when it has closed.
4. You can't bid more than you hold
By default a bid can take you to zero. Any slot you can no longer afford is filled for you at $0. Rooms can also be created with a reserve that holds back the minimum for every slot you still owe; the how-to-play rules explain it with a diagram.
5. Deciding the winner
The game doesn't calculate one. The people watching vote on who drafted better, or the two of you argue it out.
Questions
- How many picks does each player get?
- A room sets the roster size. Quick Play and the one-tap start use 5 picks each.
- Can I bid more than I have?
- No. A bid is checked against your money on the server and refused if it's more than you hold.
- What happens if I run out of money?
- Slots you can no longer afford are filled for you at $0.
- What does giving a card do?
- It hands the card to your opponent for free, which uses up one of their roster slots.
- Is real money involved?
- No. The $20 is a scoring unit inside one room. There are no deposits, prizes or wagers.