The History
Ui Games (pronounced öē) had its start in 2007 when Joshua ‘Ua’ Vandercar served as a missionary with Youth Encounter traveling with four other individuals throughout the United States, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. These individuals (Dave & Carly Peet, Jenny Gebhart, and Luke Kuenzli) and their love of game was inspiration for the following card games. Developed and tested during our year of travels, these games regularly offered therapeutic joy and competition.
The Ui Games are a class of card games containing complexity in both game play and scoring. It can be difficult for beginners to remember rules, scoring values, and the unique purposes of each card, but once you’re in, you’re in. Enjoy your play, friends!
Ui77
Ui77, the eldest of all Ui Games, was conceived in the bedroom of a farmhouse in Pennsylvania. Designed especially for five players, it is a mess of tricks, trump, and slough that provides a new challenge each hand. During four months of travels throughout the Philippines, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, we (Youth Encounter’s New Dawn ’07-’08) played a continuous game of Ui that ended at a score nearing 600.
The Elusive 34
The Elusive 34 came to life in the back of a truck, while riding rugged roads of Mindanao, Philippines. The Elusive 34 is a game of winning and losing tricks that calls for keen strategy. Originally designed for three players, it was thought the highest possible hand score was 34. However, after having been dubbed with such a regal name, it was determined that 35 is the highest possible score in a 3-player game – I think.
Duhag-Tunga
Rules of Play (coming soon)
Duhag-Tunga was also developed during our travels in Mindanao, Philippines. Duhag, thought potentially confusing at first play, is a simple semi-strategic game that allows for plenty of social interaction. Being birthed in Mindanao, its name is taken from the Cebuano word meaning Double-Half. Finding this difficult to pronounce, it has been dubbed Too Hot Tuna by Dave Peet.