Symbol-matching game for cards with paired icons

Abstract

A tabletop game played with a special deck of cards. Each card ( 17 ) features two symbols, chosen from a set of dozens. Players are dealt an equal number of cards from the shuffled deck, and one or more discard piles are established. Players may discard their cards, one at a time, if one of the symbols on the card they are discarding is the same as one of the symbols on the card being discarded onto. Participants may discard their cards at any time, without adhering to a turn order. If all players are unable to play, each receives another card and the game continues. The first player to run out of cards is the winner.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of playing a card game comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a plurality of playing cards, each printed with a different pair of distinctive symbols,   (b) shuffling a deck of said cards and dealing an equal number to each player,   (c) preparing a playing area accessible to all players with the deck in the center of said playing area,   (d) establishing one or more discard piles within said playing area by turning one or more cards face up,   (e) allowing each player to discard onto any pile if one of the symbols on the card they are discarding matches one of the symbols on the card being discarded onto,   (f) enabling all players to signal when they cannot play so that all can at once draw another card to add to their hands,   (g) awarding victory to the player who first runs out of cards.   
     
     
         2 . The method of playing a game of  claim 1  wherein players may discard matching cards at any time.