Nemcol

This is a quasi-word game that is unique in several aspects: the words used are personal names; the cards stand only for vowels; everyone is working on the same word at once.

It has a 52-card deck, each of which has a vowel (AEIOU) or semi-vowel (WY), a number value, and a list of names that use that vowel. The 52nd card, though, is a Substitute card which can stand for any vowel.

Seven cards are dealt to each player. On his turn a player declares and spells a personal name, and then everyone must discard the vowels in that name. For example, if he says "Andrew", everyone in turn must discard an A card, then each must discard an E, then each must discard a W. Any player who cannot discard the current letter must draw from the draw pile, and discard it if it's the right letter, or keep it if not. The discard pile is reshuffled to replenish the draw pile, if needed.

A player goes out on playing his last card in hand, except that the caller cannot go out until the name he called is finished. When a hand is over, each player scores the sum of the cards still in hand. Play until someone reaches an agreed total, at which point the lowest total wins.