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Dutch Blitz Box
Dutch Blitz Box
Original photo by Meghan Mazzaferro
Culture > Entertainment

Dutch Blitz is the Thing You Need to Survive Lockdown 2.0

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wilfrid Laurier chapter.

Lockdown round one sucked. We know this. But at least in the warmer weather we could go for walks, open our windows, let in some fresh air and see the sun. Now we’re about two weeks (I think? Time has no meaning anymore) into Lockdown 2.0 and I don’t know about you all, but for me, it’s been so much worse.

No walks, no fresh air, no sun. The days are short, the air is cold and I won’t speak for all of you, but I’m tired all the time. My motivation has tanked. I’ve been spending a lot of time sad and alone, and I’ve run out of things to talk about with my roommates. They’re forced to listen to me say the same things over and over again. It’s not my fault! I haven’t had life experiences in ten months!

Anyway, I think we can all agree that this lockdown is exhausting. But luckily for you, I have a suggestion that is cheap, easy and will make your life about 12% more exciting. That suggestion is Dutch Blitz.

Dutch Blitz is a “vonderful goot” card game in which four people compete to get as many coloured and numbered cards onto the table as they can before someone yells “BLITZ!” and the swearing commences.

Dutch Blitz game cards
Original photo by Meghan Mazzaferro
To begin, each player gets forty cards with a matching symbol on one side (a red wagon, a yellow barrel, etc.). Each player’s cards have their own symbol so they don’t get mixed up during scoring. These cards can be red, yellow, blue or green and have numbers from one to ten on them. A Blitz pile is made of ten cards stacked face down within easy reach of the player, with three cards face up beside it. The remaining cards stay face down in a pile in the player’s hand.

Dutch Blitz game cards used for how to play
Original photo by Meghan Mazzaferro

The game begins when everyone is set up, and someone counts down. There is immediate chaos. When a card with a 1 on it appears, it starts a pile in the middle of the table, which everyone can play upon. A card can only be played onto another card of the same colour and value before it, for example, a yellow 4 could only be played on a yellow 3. The player can play from every third card in their hand, putting down two, then flipping the third face up with the hopes of finding a number and colour that will match something in the middle. Everyone plays at once, trying to stack their numbers from one to ten in matching colours as the table gets more and more crowded. Cards can also be played from the three face-up cards next to the Blitz pile, which free up a space to move a card from the Blitz pile. The main goal is to play the three face-up cards until all ten of the cards in the Blitz pile have been revealed. Once the last card from the Blitz pile is flipped, the player shouts “BLITZ!”, and everyone who has lost the round screams in frustration.

Then, it’s time to take score. Any cards in your hand, or face up but not yet played, are put aside. The cards in the middle of the table are counted, and for each card the player played, marked by the symbols on the back of the cards, they get a point. But, for each card that remains face down in their Blitz pile, they lose two points. The winner is the first player to reach 75 points.

Dutch Blitz card with instructions on how to play the cards
Original photo by Meghan Mazzaferro

I’m not sure if my description does the game justice, but I will say this: Dutch Blitz is absolute chaos. It’s a mad scramble of flipping cards and missing opportunities by seconds. If you’re spending too much time by yourself, or if you and your roommates have run out of things to talk about, stop talking and start screaming at each other over who put their green 7 down first.

Dutch Blitz is available at Walmart and can be found where other card games are sold. Packs include enough cards for four players, but there are expansion packs available allowing up to eight players to play at once. Instructions are included, please don’t rely on my description. Happy Blitzing!

 

Meghan Mazzaferro

Wilfrid Laurier '21

Meghan is an English and Film Studies major who has dreamed of being a writer all her life. When she's not writing essays and watching films for class, she loves to read YA novels and rewatch her favourite TV shows for the 100th time. Proud plant mama of 24 green beauties, and willing to adopt all the dogs.
Chelsea Bradley

Wilfrid Laurier '21

Chelsea finished her undergrad with a double major in Biology and Psychology and a minor in Criminology. She loves dogs way too much and has an unhealthy obsession with notebooks and sushi. You can find her quoting memes and listening to throwbacks in her spare - okay basically all - her time. She joined Her Campus in the Fall of 2019 as an editor, acted as one of two senior editors for the Winter 2020 semester and worked alongside Rebecca as one of the Campus Correspondents for the 2020-2021 year!