Down the Middle
How To Play
Gather Supplies
Grab a deck of cards and give each player 5 tokens (plus a small pile for the house). Shuffle the cards and pick someone to be the house dealer.
Set Up & Bet
The house flips two cards. All players then place bets guessing whether the next card will land between them. Bet as many tokens as you like—just don’t go broke!
Win or Pay In
If you're right, you win that many tokens from the house. If you're wrong, your tokens go to the house pile. Keep playing until only one person has tokens left!
FAQ
What happens if the middle card matches one of the house cards?
That’s a loss! If the middle card is equal to either of the two house cards, the player pays their bet into the house.
What is the Ace?
Aces are low. So the ranking goes: Ace (1), 2, 3... up to King (13). A middle card must fall strictly between the two house cards to win.
How does the game end?
The game ends when only one player still has tokens. That player is the winner!
What happens if we run out of cards?
Simple—just shuffle the discard pile and reuse the deck. Keep the game going until one player has all the tokens.
💬 Conversation Starters
"What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken that actually paid off?"
"Do you think you're naturally lucky—or do you make your own luck?"
"Have you ever had a moment where you trusted your gut—and it was wildly wrong?"
"Would you rather be really lucky or really skilled?"