6 Nimmt! is a simple but compelling card game by Wolfgang Kramer, published in the US by Mayfair Games.
Players: 3-10
Playing Time: 30-45 minutes
Summary of the Components
6 Nimmt! is a game played with a deck of 104 cards.
The cards are all good quality: they're sturdy and linen-textured [5]. They're very abstract, just showing bulls heads (points) and card values, which means that the beauty isn't particularly notable [3] and there's no theming [1]. Finally, there's some good attention to usability: the cards are colored to show you when they're worth a lot of points [4].
The only thing that really stands out in the design of 6 Nimmt! is the quality, so I've given it a high "3" out of "5" for Style.
Summary of the Gameplay
6 Nimmt! is a game of taking as few points as possible while playing out hands of cards.
A Round of Play: Each round of play, each player is dealt a hand of 10 cards. They must play these cards over the course of the round. Four cards are then dealt to the table, defining four rows that cards will be played to.
The Cards. The 104 cards are numbered uniquely from 1-104. Most of the cards are worth 1 point, but the multiples of 5 and the multiples of 11 are worth from 2-7 points instead. This is all clearly marked (and color-coded) on the cards.
Playing a Card: Each turn, the players all simultaneously select a card and reveal them. They're then played to the table in sequential order, from the lowest numbered card to the highest.
Each card is played to a specific row based solely on its number. A card goes to the end of the row that ends in a lower-numbered card that's the closest in number to the played card.
For example, if the last card in the four rows were 14, 18, 85, and 100, and a player revealed a 52, it'd go in the "18" row. That's because the 85 and 100 row would violate the lower-numbered card rule and the 14 row would violate the closest-number rule.
If the Row Has Five Cards. If the row played to already had five cards in it, then the player takes those cards for his score pile. The played card becomes the start of a new row.
For example, if a row had 16, 20, 22, 37, and 50 in, and the player was forced to play to that rowwith his 55, he'd take those five cards and form a new row with his 55.
If There's No Lower Row. If there is no row that has a lower valued card at its end, then the player must take all the cards in one row of his choice; his played card then forms a new row.
For example, if the four rows ended with a 22, a 38, a 72, and a 105, and a player played a 17, he could not legally play his card on a row. He'd thus take one of the rows (usually the one with the least points) and his 17 would be the start of a new row.
Ending a Round: A round of play ends when the players have played all ten of their cards. Everyone then totals up their score piles. If anyone has gotten to 66 points, the game ends, with the player with the least points winning. Else, play continues on with new cards and new rows in a new round.
Relationships to Other Games
6 Nimmt! is a classic game, first released way back in 1994. It's appeared under a confusing array of names in the US including Take 5, Category 5, Take 6, and even The Walking Dead Card Game. 6 Nimmt! is the original German name; it roughly means "6th takes it".
Several variations of the game exist in the German market including 11 Nimmt!, 6 Nimmt! Plus, Tanz der Hornochsen!, and most confusingly another game also called Take 5.
The Game Design
6 Nimmt! is a casual filler game. There is a huge amount of chaos in this game of simultaneous selection. You can try and figure out what your opponents might be doing, and thus what you should do but everything can change between when you choose your card and when you place your card, as cards and rows change. This can be a lot of fun, but if you're looking for a strategic game, it can also be frustrating.
With that said, 6 Nimmt! is quick, simple, and enjoyable. There are a number of options for tactics (deciding when to take a row; selecting what row to take; choosing when to play points that other people might take; etc.), but at the same time the game can be played very simply too making it a great option for families and casual gatherings.
Overall, 6 Nimmt! remains very innovative, enjoyable, and unique two decades later. As long as you're not looking for a deadly serious game, this is a great game to play. I've given it a full "5" out of "5" for Substance.
Conclusion
6 Nimmt! is a very chaotic card game that's easy to play and great for casual gatherings. Nonetheless, it still offers enough tactical nuance to keep things interesting (though how much control you really have is up in the air). It also remains quite unique, and is probably unlike anything else in your collection.
