"Grabbing Apples" variant 
  by Wei-Hwa Huang
  based mostly on the German game "Attribut"

Needed:  An "Apples to Apples" Set and a deck of cards.
  Also, a table where players can easily reach other players.

Setup:  Shuffle the standard deck of cards separate from the 
  Apples To Apples cards.  Deal out FIVE noun cards to each
  player.  This is their starting hand, which they may look at
  but not tell other people about (until after the cards are
  played, of course!).
  
Overview:  Several "rounds" will be played.  On each round players 
  will be "grabbing" normal playing cards from other people.  Grabbing
  RED cards is good; grabbing BLACK cards is bad.  Players' hand size
  will slowly diminish.  Once one player loses all their noun cards, 
  the game is over.  Each player adds their hand size to their RED card
  count and subtracts their BLACK card count.  Whomever has the most
  points wins!

Each round:
  1. Deal each player a normal card, face down, which they must keep
     secret.  Each player looks at their normal card, notes the 
     color (RED or BLACK), and puts it face down in front of them. 
  2. One adjective is flipped over and read out loud to all players.
     It is put in the center for all to see.
  2a.  (Advanced Rules) Each player who has only one noun card left
       reveals another adjective card.  After all such players have
       done so, those player may then each remove one of the visible 
       adjectives so that there is one remaining.  [This gives those
       players some control over their play.]
  2b.  (Advanced Rules) At this point, anyone with two red cards can 
       trade them in for an extra noun card.  Note that this will decrease
       their score at the end of the game, but it might be 
       strategically feasible.
  3. Each player chooses a noun card from the hand and holds it 
     above their normal card, face down.  [Strategy: If your normal
     card is RED (like an apple), you should play a noun that 
     MATCHES the adjective.  If your normal card is BLACK, you
     should play a noun that does NOT match the adjective.]
  4. When everyone is ready with a noun card, someone counts to
     three.  On the count of three, everyone flips over their
     noun card and puts it on top of their normal card, then
     removes their hand so all noun cards are visible.
  5. People may now attempt to grab the noun/normal card pairs
     of other people.  Each player may only grab one pair.  Each 
     pair may be grabbed by only one other player; if two players
     try to grab the same pair, whichever one gets there first
     wins.  Players may also decide not to grab anything.
     [Strategy: you are trying to grab RED cards (i.e., cards that
     MATCH).  If you think all the remaining cards are non-matches,
     do not grab any of them!]
  6. Card awards:
     6.1  All players who started with a RED card and had it
          grabbed from them draw a card.
     6.2  All players who started with a BLACK card and still
          have it draw a card.
  7. Players keep the normal cards they have grabbed.  Each RED card
     will be worth +1 at the end of the game, each BLACK card will
     be worth -1.
  8. All revealed noun cards are put in a discard pile.
  9. If someone is out of cards, the game is over and whomever
     has the most cards is the winner.  If not, deal another round.
     If the normal deck runs low, collect a pair of red-black cards 
     from every player who has such a pair, shuffle the normal
     deck, and redeal.

Strategy Hints:
  Try to keep a balance of very disparate nouns in your hand.  If 
  an adjective comes out, your card is red, and all of your nouns
  are mismatches, you are in trouble.  Players with very few cards
  are especially vulnerable; be careful when grabbing their cards.