Dutch Blitz is an incredibly entertaining, family-friendly game for all ages. Not sure how to play it? These Dutch Blitz rules will guide you through the entire gameplay.
Are you organizing a game night? In this case, and especially if you’re expecting both young and older guests, Dutch Blitz is a perfect choice (see more excellent game night ideas).
I’ve tried this game several times with different types of opponents, and it was always a highlight of the evening.
I particularly like this game’s fast pace and simple yet smart rules. It is also a point-based game, which further adds to its clarity, especially for younger players.
So, how is it played? First, don’t mistake Dutch Blitz for Blitz: Despite the similar name, these card games are very different (see our Blitz card game rules for more details).
Dutch Blitz is mainly about a good focus, basic counting, and quick reactions. Regardless of previous experience, anyone can learn how to play it quickly.
This Dutch Blitz rules guide will cover the following:
- What is the Dutch Blitz?
- What you’ll need to play Dutch Blitz
- Dutch Blitz rules
- How to play Dutch Blitz (video tutorial)
- FAQs
- Other similar games to Dutch Blitz (our guides)
Continue reading and learn how to play Dutch Blitz following my simple instructions.
What is Dutch Blitz?
A Dutch Blitz card set consists of four symbol-coded card decks. Each player gets their own deck to play with, but their goal remains the same: Getting rid of their Blitz pile.
Due to the required ability of simple counting, this game is suitable for kids ages eight and over. Nevertheless, you can try it with younger players too.
Number of Players: 2 –4 players
Ages: 8+
Difficulty: Easy
Length of Play: 20 – 45 minutes
Category: Sequences building card game
Similar to: Nertz, Double Solitaire, Spite and Malice
Main Objective: Get rid of your 10-card Blitz pile first and earn points by creating card sequences.
Why We Love It: Finding a game for older kids that’s not too easy and not too hard can be difficult. Dutch Blitz is, in this regard, perfectly balanced and great fun.
What You’ll Need to Play Dutch Blitz
Dutch Blitz is played with the original Green Dutch Blitz card deck.
It contains:
- 160 Playing cards
(10 red, 10 blue, 10 green, and 10 yellow cards of four symbol-coded decks)
- 1 Set of rules
Note: There’s also a Blue Dutch Blitz Expansion Pack that can be used either as an upgrade to the original OR as a standalone individually for up to 8 players.
Dutch Blitz Rules and Gameplay
As I’ve already mentioned at the beginning, Dutch Blitz doesn’t have a lot in common with Blitz despite the similarity of their names.
If I had to compare Dutch Blitz to any other game, I’d say it’s like Solitaire, but in a much more competitive and energetic version.
But before I explain the gameplay itself, let’s start with the game’s initial setup.
Starting the Game
You can play Dutch Blitz with a minimum of two and a maximum of four players.
Each player chooses their own deck of Dutch Blitz cards. Four symbols distinguish these:
- a plow
- a carriage
- a pail
- a pump
One of the players will take on the role of a scorekeeper (it is a straightforward task that anyone can perform).
Each player now shuffles their deck well (from my experience, younger kids may need some help with this).
Now each player deals three cards (color face up) in a row in front of them as their post piles AND ten cards in a Blitz pile somewhere on the side.
All the remaining cards will form a so-called wood pile. Place it face down somewhere on the side where it’s distinguishable from the other cards on the table.
Note that Dutch Blitz should be played on a relatively large surface so that you can keep a spacious place in the center for creating your joint Dutch Piles. I’ll explain it all shortly.
Now you’re ready to start playing!
How to Play Dutch Blitz
In Dutch Blitz, a player has two main concerns:
- getting rid of their Blitz pile
- collect points
Points are collected by getting as many of your cards as possible to the common Dutch piles, which work similarly to foundations in the Solitaire-type games.
The Dutch piles are started with Ones and grow up to Tens, and each can only contain cards of a matching color.
Since your main goal is getting rid of your Blitz pile cards, you should aim to move your cards to the center of this pile.
Nevertheless, you can also move your Blitz pile cards into your post piles if there is some empty space.
Here are the rules you have to follow while moving your cards:
- Players make their moves simultaneously – there are no” turns” in this game.
- You must always have three post piles in front of you.
- You can stack cards in descending order on your post piles, BUT they must alternate between boy and girl symbols (similar to alternating colors with standard cards)
- When you cannot use any of your Blitz or post piles cards, count off three cards from your woodpile and use them to move on.
The first player to empty their Blitz pile must call “Blitz!” aloud. This stops all the action and ends the round.
Dutch Blitz Scoring
When the round ends, players push their wood and post piles away.
The scorekeeper sorts all the cards in the central Dutch piles based on the symbols on their backside. (Remember that each symbol represents a deck of the respectable player.)
Each player counts the cards with their symbol to determine how many points they score (1 card = 1 point).
The players with some cards left in their Blitz pile must count them, multiply the number by two, and subtract the number from their score. This is their final score.
The game continues with a new round and ends at the moment when someone collects 75 points in total. This player becomes the winner of the entire game.
How to Play Dutch Blitz – Video Tutorial
Dutch Blitz Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play Dutch Blitz with more than four players?
Not with the standard card set, but you can buy the Dutch Blitz Blue Expansion Pack, allowing you to enjoy this game with more players.
Is Dutch Blitz fun with two people?
Though card games are usually more fun with more players, Dutch Blitz can be very entertaining and satisfying, even if just two players are involved.
Why is it called Dutch Blitz?
Dutch Blitz was invented by a German optometrist Werner Ernst George Muller, who decided on a Dutch Pennsylvanian, in other words, Amish, style, and art of the game.
Other Similar Games to Dutch Blitz (Our Guides)
If you like Dutch Blitz, maybe you’d like to try some other games centered around similar principles and logic. Check out our guides to the following Dutch Blitz alternatives:
