Question on trade-ins after elimination

[dolemite]

If you eliminate someone, and you get their cards, aren't you supposed to be able to trade in? I did this in two flat rate games today and it wouldn't let me. Does it have to be a mixed set?

[tahitiwahini]

You have to have 5 (or more) cards in hand to trigger the menu to appear that allows you to cash in card sets. Once that menu appears you must cash in at least one card set, but you may cash in as many cards sets as you can.

By the way, when you hold 5 cards you are guaranteed to have a card set.

[dolemite]

Thanks for the answer. Doesn't it seem like if you have enough for a trade-in, it should work?

[tahitiwahini]

Thanks for the answer. Doesn't it seem like if you have enough for a trade-in, it should work?

The game could have been set up that way, but it wasn't.

Let's think about the implication of how that would work in practice.

Let's say you have 3 cards and you eliminate someone who has no cards. Do you want the trade-in menu to appear in this case? After all you could have a set, it only takes 3 cards, right?

Let's say you have 3 cards and you eliminate someone who has 1 card. Do you want the trade-in menu to appear in this case? You might not have a set. Or you might have had a set before the elimination and this would give you a second opportunity to cash in that set in the same turn.

The way the game is set up now you only get to have the trade-in menu appear when you have 5 or more cards. This is to enforce the rule that you can't hold more than 5 cards at the end of your turn. Think of the implications for escalating card games if you were able to hold more than 5 cards at the end of your turn.