Old Maid is a constant favorite with children and lots of fun for families playing cards together. Colorful decks made especially for the game are popular, but regardless of the playing cards used, the rules are the same.
Solitaire is one of the most pleasurable pastimes for one person. Often called, "Patience," more than 150 Solitaire games have been devised. A few of the most popular are presented here, as well as some new ones.
This general type of game dates back some 500 years and is still seen in many forms in Europe. In the United States, the most popular games of this type are Cribbage and Blackjack.
Go Fish is a fun game that will amuse and entertain even the youngest card players. It is similar to the game Authors, described below.
In recent years, this game has become very high popular in casinos that have Poker rooms. It is considered to require more skill than any other version of Poker.
Euchre is an offshoot of Juckerspiel, a game that became widely popular throughout Europe during the Napoleonic era.
The goal of each player is to win the pot which contains all the bets that the players have made in any one deal. A player makes a bet in hopes that he has the best hand, or to give the impression that he does. In most Poker versions, the top combination of five cards is the best hand.
With the exception of Poker, Blackjack is the most popular gambling card game. Equally well known as Twenty-One, the rules are simple, the play is thrilling, and there is opportunity for high strategy.
Baccarat was once one of the most often-played games in French casinos. Today, it has almost been replaced by Chemin de Fer which is an offspring.
Get the whole family together for an exciting night of card games! There is no better way to enjoy an evening. Test your skills, challenge your luck, and create shared memories you will never forget.
Learn the rules, and start playing right now!
Old Maid is a constant favorite with children and lots of fun for families playing cards together. Colorful decks made especially for the game are popular, but regardless of the playing cards used, the rules are the same.
Strictly speaking, this game is not a form of Poker, but it is often played for variety during some social Poker games.
Slapjack is a very simple game, and it is often a child's first introduction to playing cards. The memories of playing this often noisy, and always fun pastime are never forgotten!
Familiarity with playing cards and card games can provide children with entertainment, social interaction, and educational benefits. Even at a very early age, children are naturally attracted to the bright colors, shapes and pretty designs found on most playing cards, and these can help stimulate a child's recognition of letters, symbols, and numbers.
Go Fish is a fun game that will amuse and entertain even the youngest card players. It is similar to the game Authors, described below.
I Doubt It is excellent for children - and even for adults or for mixed groups - because it is easy to learn and can be played either haphazardly or scientifically.
This game is of the same family as Crazy Eights. Both games are favorites for children as well as grownups.
This game is a favorite with even the youngest age group. The rules are very simple, and the game, while pure luck, can be very exciting. It is all a matter of chance because only the denomination of the cards matters.
This is an excellent game for virtually any number of players, and can be played competitively or just for fun.
Poker is truly an international game, enjoyed in virtually every country where card games are played. It is played not only in private homes, but also in countless Poker rooms at famous casinos.
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Omaha is similar to Hold 'Em, and it is also very popular in American casinos with a Poker room. Each player receives two cards face down and five cards are dealt to the center of the table. There is a betting interval, and the center cards are turned up one by one, with a betting interval after each card is exposed. All players still in the game must make hands of five cards using two cards from their own hand plus three from the five cards in the center. Generally in High-Low Omaha, a qualifier of eight or better is needed for a hand to be in contention for the low half of the pot.
The only safe guiding principle in Poker ethics is, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." In some games, a player may do anything to fool the opponents as long as he does not cheat. It is considered part of the skill of the game to do so, and by no means unsportsmanlike. In some games, it is considered unethical, or at least "sharp practice", to check while holding a good hand in the hope that someone else will bet and the player can raise him. Since card playing is a social pastime, a player is best advised to follow the standards of the other players.
This may be the original form of Poker. Each player is dealt five cards face down. The players bet as outlined in the General Poker Information section, and then there is a showdown. There is no draw in this version.
In Stud Poker, each player is dealt one or more hole cards, face down. The remainder of his cards are dealt face up. The two most popular standard Stud Poker games are Five-Card Stud and Seven-Card Stud. After each player is dealt at least one card face up (upcard), and after each subsequent deal, there is a betting interval before dealing is resumed. Stud Poker has cut into the popularity of Draw Poker because there are more betting rounds (and thus, bigger pots), and there is a fascination about seeing some of the opponents' cards and trying to fathom what the hole card or cards may be.
The basic idea of High-Low Poker is that the best Poker hand and the worst Poker hand split the pot.
Benchmarking from the rules outlined for General Poker, once all players have placed their antes and the deal is completed, each player in turn has the right to "open" (make the first bet) but may not do so unless he has a pair of jacks or better.
In recent years, this game has become very high popular in casinos that have Poker rooms. It is considered to require more skill than any other version of Poker.
There are several methods of playing Draw Poker, and they differ mostly in the rules governing betting.
The goal of each player is to win the pot which contains all the bets that the players have made in any one deal. A player makes a bet in hopes that he has the best hand, or to give the impression that he does. In most Poker versions, the top combination of five cards is the best hand.
This game combines features of both Bridge and Poker and is thus a good link between these two frequently played games. Booray is also related to an old card game called "cart." Booray is popular in Louisiana and with French-speaking Canadians.
After an ante from all players, the dealer gives five cards, face down, to each player and puts an extra hand ("widow") of five cards in the middle of the table. He must deal to each player in turn around to the left, one card at a time, then to the widow, then to himself last. Each player has the option of exchanging his hand for the widow, or keeping his hand as it is. If a player takes up the widow, his original five cards are placed face up on the table and become the new widow. Each player in turn has the option of taking up one card or all of the new widow and replacing it with cards from his hand. If a player wishes to play the original hand, he signals by knocking on the table, but he may not draw and knock at the same time. The process of exchanging cards continues around the table until some player knocks. A knock means that this player will show the present hand as soon as it is his turn, so that each player has only one more chance to exchange cards. No player may draw if he has knocked. A player may knock before the widow is exposed, if desired. If no one takes the widow until it comes around to the dealer, the dealer must either take up the widow or turn it face up on the table. Even if the dealer knocks, and does not take up the widow, he must spread it on the table for each player to see and draw once more. A player may pass at any turn - that is, decline either to exchange or to knock; however, he may not pass at two turns in a row. Having passed on the previous round, he must either exchange or knock. After the knock and the final round of draws, all hands are shown, and the highest takes the pot. The lowest pays a "forfeit," or penalty in an amount of chips agreed upon beforehand. Some players prefer to have a round of betting before the showdown.
Progressive Rubber Bridge is a variation of the standard progressive game. It follows the same methods of progression and change of partners described in the preceding rules, but the scoring is somewhat different.
This version uses the same rules and, with exceptions noted below, the same scoring as standard Contract Bridge.
This game combines features of both Bridge and Poker and is thus a good link between these two frequently played games. Booray is also related to an old card game called "cart." Booray is popular in Louisiana and with French-speaking Canadians.
A relative of Pai-Gow Poker, this game is played in private gambling casinos in the Philippines and in one or two public casinos in Manila. Pusoy (pronounced "poo-soy") is also played in home games in both the Philippines and Hawaii. It is loaded with action and requires more skill than Pai-Gow. In fact, it is such a good game that it really deserves worldwide attention. Unlike Pai-Gow, where tied hands are frequent, in Pusoy no result between a player and dealer can end in a standoff - there is always a payoff.
A gambling game that depends a lot on luck, Red Dog is not popular in casino play, but is often played at home just for fun - the stakes are meaningless. Note: The game below should not be confused with In-Between or Acey-Deucey, which is often called Red Dog, and which is described in the next section.
In this version of Cassino, picture cards can be used in building. Jacks count 11, queens 12, kings 13 , and aces are either 1 or 14 as the holder wishes. Also, there is no restriction on combining or pairing face cards. Thus, a jack and a king may be paired. The play is exactly as in regular Cassino, and 21 points constitute game. In some regions Royal Cassino is played with a 60-card pack, which includes eight special cards: four of each suit marked 11 and four of each suit marked 12.
Either regular Cassino or Royal Cassino is played, but (in addition to the count for cards, spades, Big Cassino and aces) the ace, jack and deuce of spades count 2 points each and other spades count 1 point each. Twenty-six points may be scored in each deal, exclusive of sweeps, if played. Game is 61 points, and the margin of victory is the difference between the winning score and the losing score, As in Cribbage , the winner's score is doubled if the losing score is less than 31. Spade Cassino can be conveniently scored on a Cribbage board with each point being recorded as the card is taken in.
This general type of game dates back some 500 years and is still seen in many forms in Europe. In the United States, the most popular games of this type are Cribbage and Blackjack.
The game of In-Between or Acey-Deucey is often referred to as Red Dog, but its rules are very different from the standard Red Dog game.
In the home game, each player can be the banker, deal the cards, and handle payouts and collections for an agreed-upon number of deals, say, twice around the table.
Faro is a very old card game. Introduced in France in the court of King Louis XIV, its name is derived from the picture of an Egyptian Pharaoh on one of the cards in the French deck.
This version is played as in regular Cassino or Royal Cassino, whichever the players prefer. As usual, after the first round of dealing, the undealt cards are placed on the table to form a stock. But in Draw Cassino, each participant, after playing, draws a card from the stock to restore his hand to four cards.
Chemin de Fer (which literally means "railroad" in French) is a variation of Baccarat. The main difference is that there is some decision-making involved for the participants. The scoring of the cards is the same as in Baccarat, but the chart governing the game is different in that there are three situations (as noted in the chart below) when there is an option of whether to draw or stand.
Based on Poker, the game of Caribbean Stud is a comparatively new casino gambling game that has been growing in popularity. It was invented by David Sklansky, a Poker expert from Las Vegas.
With a few variations in the rules, Blackjack can be a wonderfully entertaining game to play at home. The objective is the same as in the casino version: to get 21 or as close to it as possible. Depending on the region, there are a number of Pontoon versions, but in all of them, every player gets the opportunity to be the dealer.
With the exception of Poker, Blackjack is the most popular gambling card game. Equally well known as Twenty-One, the rules are simple, the play is thrilling, and there is opportunity for high strategy.
Baccarat was once one of the most often-played games in French casinos. Today, it has almost been replaced by Chemin de Fer which is an offspring.
Based on the rules of standard Cribbage. Three-Hand Cribbage can be a very dynamic game. The players draw for first deal, and thereafter the deal rotates to the left.
The players draw for partners and first deal. The player with the highest card deals, and the two highest and two lowest cards designate partners.
Five-Card Cribbage is the original game of Cribbage, and is strictly for two players.
Cribbage is one of the best two-hand games - and one of the most enduring, for the game was entertaining card players as far back as the seventeenth century. It evolved from an earlier English game called "Noddy," and the man credited with inventing it is Sir John Suckling, a wealthy English poet. Cribbage affords players both the anticipation of the luck of the deal as well as ample opportunity to exercise their skills in discarding and play.
Napoleon is a deceptively simple bidding and trick-taking game. Although it is relatively easy compared to more sophisticated games like Bridge or Whist, what Napoleon lacks in finesse it makes up for in fast pace and player interaction. The scoring system, using chips, also lends itself well to wagering. The delightful difference of using "Wellington" and "Blucher" in the bidding refers, of course, to other famous generals of Napoleon's day; but the card game itself is said to date back only to the late 1800s - well after the French leader's death.
Based on the rules and play of Napoleon, this game is a version of Pool Nap. In this version of Pool Nap, one card only is dealt to make a widow, usually on the first round. By adding one chip to the pool, any player may "peep" at this card before bidding or passing. The highest bidder may take the widow card but must discard one card to reduce his hand to five cards before play begins.
Based on the rules and play of Napoleon. In this a popular version of Napoleon, an extra hand of five cards is dealt to the right of the dealer's location.
First described in 1674 as "Five Fingers" (which, in this game, is a slang term for the five of trumps), Spoil Five is ancient and features elements that date back much further in time. The game's long popularity attests to its excellent play value. One variation, Twenty-Five, is a prominent game in Ireland. Yet another version, Forty-Five, is extremely popular in Nova Scotia.
This version of Euchre borrows from many of the other Euchre games. It is for four players - two partnerships - determined by agreement among the players. Trump is made as in Auction Euchre, by bidding.
In this version for four, five or six players, partnerships are determined in secret. Trump is made as in the four-hand game by acceptance of the turn-up as trump, or declaration of another trump if the turn-up is rejected.
This variation of Spoil Five and Forty-Five is one of the most popular games in Nova Scotia. The number 45 is no longer relevant to the game.
Auction Euchre: Also known as Five-Handed Euchre, Six-Handed Euchre or Seven-Handed Euchre. The Pack. For a five-hand game, 32 cards are used, as in Four-Hand Euchre. For six players, 36 cards are used - the usual pack with sixes added. For a seven-hand game, 52 cards are used. In each instance, the joker may be added if desired (and it will rank as the highest trump).
This very popular version of Gin Rummy is just like the original except for one key rule that requires even more skill of the player: The rank of the upcard fixes the maximum number of points with which a player may knock in that deal. Thus, if the upcard is a five, the knocker must have 5 points or less. Face cards count 10. When an ace is the knock card, neither player may knock with a count of 1 point; instead, each must play for a gin hand. An additional rule, often played, is that when the upcard is a spade, all scores accruing from that deal are doubled.
The players draw for partnerships. The holders of the the two highest cards each play a two-hand game against the players with the two lowest cards. Partners sit opposite each other at the table. One member of each side cuts for deal, and both members of the side with the lowest card deal the first hand. Thereafter, the winners of each hand deal next.
This version is the same as regular Rummy except that seven cards are dealt to each player and the following special rules are observed:
Round-The-Corner may be played as a version of Gin Rummy, but with the following differences:
Rummy is still one of the best-known card games in the United States, though in many regions it has been superseded by Gin Rummy and Oklahoma Gin. Rummy works better than Gin Rummy when there are more than two players. A pleasing feature of the game is that it is so simple to play and has many variations.
The players draw for deal, and the player with the lowest card deals first. When two people play, each is dealt ten cards; when three or four play, seven cards; when five play, six cards.
This game is best for two, three, or four people, each playing individually. The rules are the same as for regular Rummy with the following exceptions.
There are two methods for playing three-hand Gin Rummy in which two players are active and one is inactive in each hand. In another method, all three players may be active in every hand.
In this version, the rules of regular Rummy apply except for the following: Two standard 52 card packs plus two jokers are shuffled together to form a 106-card deck.
Cutthroat Canasta is played in the same way as standard Canasta but in this version, two sides are formed during the play, two against one, and the following rule changes apply.
This game is one of the most popular Rummy pastimes for large groups. It is played in many different forms, but always with the same basic requirements.
One of the most popular Rummy games for three or more persons playing individually. There are many forms of the game, differing in minor details but all are alike in one essential respect: A series of four, five, or more deals is played, with a different requirement for going out in each deal. One of the most popular versions is given here.
Canasta, a game of the Rummy family was the most popular American game in the early 1950s. It originated in Uruguay about 10 years earlier, spread rapidly to Argentina and the rest of Latin America, and reached the United States about 1948.
The rules are as in regular Rummy except that each player in turn may draw two cards from the stock or, before drawing those cards, two cards from the top of the discard pile.
The game of Canasta and several other games developed from this popular form of Rummy. The distinctive feature of 500 Rum is that each player scores the value of the sets he melds, in addition to the usual points for going out and for cards caught in other players' hands.
Many trick-taking games are not directly related to Bridge or Whist. Perhaps the foremost one is Hearts, which is truly one of the greatest card games ever devised for four players, each playing individually. The game is fairly easy to play, yet there is plenty of scope for high strategy.
Although other interesting variations follow this description, Partnership Auction Pinochle for four players is considered the classic form of the game.
The basic game of Partnership Pinochle is described first. Several variations have grown in such popularity that they are also described below, including Partnership Auction Pinochle and Double-Pack Pinochle.
Partnership Pinochle game rules, in which four people can play, two against two as partners.
Six players form two partnerships of three each, sitting alternately. Eight players form two partnerships of four each, also sitting alternately. A double Pinochle pack (96 cards) is used, and the cards are dealt out four at a time, so that each player has 16 cards in the six-hand game and 12 cards in the eight-hand game.
Pinochle is a classic two-player game developed in the United States, and it is still one of the country's most popular games. The basic game of Pinochle is Two-Hand Pinochle, which derives from the European game Bezique. It is explained first.
Six people play in two partnerships of three each; each player has an opponent to his right and left. Three regular Pinochle packs, without the nines, are mixed together, making a pack of 120 cards. Each player is dealt 20 cards, and the rules of Double-Pack Pinochle apply, except that game is 4,550, the minimum bid is 750, and the last trick counts 30. Most of the extra melds made possible by the triple pack do not count extra; if a player should hold twenty aces, five of each suit, the value would be 2,500 (that is, 1,500 for triple aces plus 1,000 for double aces). However, a quintuple pinochle counts 4,000, and all six pinochles count 5,000 (which is more than enough for game, if the side is not 500 in the hole).
A Pinochle game on the order of the two-hand game was once played by three players, usually with a 64-card pack. Each player received 12 cards in the deal and played in turn. Game was 1,000, as in the two-hand game. This version has been superseded by Auction Pinochle.
This is a Partnership Auction Pinochle game in which special bonuses are paid in checks (chips) for unusual melds and for making or defeating the bid.
This is the most popular form of Pinochle for three players and is played with the standard Pinochle pack.
After his final exile to the island of St. Helena, Napoleon often played Solitaire. This is probably the version he played. Also known as Forty Thieves, it was once one of the most popular two-deck Solitaire games. It is still frequently played.
A relatively new version of Solitaire, Seahaven Towers was invented by Art Cabral in 1988. It may be one of the greatest solitaire card games ever devised because there is very little luck involved - the outcome depends almost entirely on the player's skill. With clever card manipulation, a player should be able to win the game more than three-quarters of the time. An average player, though, will win about once in three times.
Solitaire is one of the most pleasurable pastimes for one person. Often called, "Patience," more than 150 Solitaire games have been devised. A few of the most popular are presented here, as well as some new ones.
This game is the same as Canfield, but is easier to win because the four aces are removed from the pack prior to play. They are then placed above the reserve to start the four foundations. All the foundations are built up from the ace through the king, in sequence and in suit.
The play is the same as in Klondike, but with the following rule change: Instead of turning up cards from the stock three at a time indefinitely, the player turns the cards one at a time, but goes through the stock only once.
This game was created by Joli Quentin Kansil and is played in the same way as Klondike, but with a wild twist.
Devil's Grip has a touch of Calculation in it, and the deck for the game is rather unusual.
Closely related to Klondike, the game of Canfield is probably the second most popular Solitaire game.
This game is the same as Streets and Alleys except that the four aces are removed from the pack prior to play and are placed in the center column. Each row of the tableau, left and right, will then contain six cards.
Players should not doubt their card-playing skills if they do not succeed in playing all the cards in this Solitaire game. It has been estimated that the chances of winning in Accordion are about one in a hundred!
A novice can learn to play Michigan after just a brief explanation. This makes the game ideal for groups in which no one game is familiar to all members.
This game is yet another version of Fan Tan. The first player may play any card. The sequence in the suit must be built up until all thirteen cards are played, and the sequence in the suit is continuous. For example: J, Q, K, A, 2, and so on. The turn to play rotates to the left and if a person is unable to play in turn, he puts one chip in the pot. Whoever plays the thirteenth card of a suit may choose any card from his hand to begin the next series. The first player to get rid of all his cards wins the pot.
Also known as the Earl of Coventry. In this version, the first player may play any card. Whatever card he plays calls for the other three cards of the same rank. The turn to play moves to the left. The player who plays the fourth card may then choose any card in his hand for the next series.
The Stops Family of games is not a large one, but all of the games have one thing in common: Participants play their cards in a certain order, and the action is often interrupted – “stopped”- by the absence of a suitable card. These games lend themselves to gambling, usually for small stakes. However strictly speaking they are not considered casino games.
This game is a variation of two-hand Crazy Eights, except that the scoring format is like Gin Rummy.
Fan Tan was once very popular. As with other games of the Stops group, it is easy to play and the action is very fast. It is also known as Parliament, Sevens, Card Dominoes, and Stops.
A modern classic, Eleusis is one of the most unusual card games ever devised. It is a game that makes people think in reverse as the players actually create the rules!
The game of Crazy Eights offers a better chance than other Stops games for the player to overcome poor cards through skillful play. Crazy Eights is a popular game for both children and adults.
Napoleon is a deceptively simple bidding and trick-taking game. Although it is relatively easy compared to more sophisticated games like Bridge or Whist, what Napoleon lacks in finesse it makes up for in fast pace and player interaction. The scoring system, using chips, also lends itself well to wagering. The delightful difference of using "Wellington" and "Blucher" in the bidding refers, of course, to other famous generals of Napoleon's day; but the card game itself is said to date back only to the late 1800s - well after the French leader's death.
This is an amusing game that has a large following world wide. There are many variant rules, but the most popular way of playing is presented here.
Based on the basic game of Hearts, this version adds two features to standard Hearts whereby a player may actually score plus. The play of the cards takes on heightened interest, since it combines "nullo" play (to avoid gathering hearts and the Q♠) with positive play to win plus points.
Although other interesting variations follow this description, Partnership Auction Pinochle for four players is considered the classic form of the game.
The basic game of Partnership Pinochle is described first. Several variations have grown in such popularity that they are also described below, including Partnership Auction Pinochle and Double-Pack Pinochle.
Partnership Pinochle game rules, in which four people can play, two against two as partners.
Six players form two partnerships of three each, sitting alternately. Eight players form two partnerships of four each, also sitting alternately. A double Pinochle pack (96 cards) is used, and the cards are dealt out four at a time, so that each player has 16 cards in the six-hand game and 12 cards in the eight-hand game.
Based on the rules and play of Napoleon, this game is a version of Pool Nap. In this version of Pool Nap, one card only is dealt to make a widow, usually on the first round. By adding one chip to the pool, any player may "peep" at this card before bidding or passing. The highest bidder may take the widow card but must discard one card to reduce his hand to five cards before play begins.
Pinochle is a classic two-player game developed in the United States, and it is still one of the country's most popular games. The basic game of Pinochle is Two-Hand Pinochle, which derives from the European game Bezique. It is explained first.
One of the most popular forms of Auction Pitch, this game was formerly called Smudge. Now, it is usually called Pitch by those who play it.
Preference is played in parts of Europe, including summer resorts in Russia and the Ukraine. There are several versions of the game.
Railroad Euchre is the name given to any number of versions designed to speed up the scoring. Some of the features that have been added in various localities are as follows:
n this variation, the Tournee game is eliminated, and the Player has the option of "handplay" - playing without the skat - or of picking up the skat and then naming the "game." In either case, he has a choice between naming a suit or only the jacks as trumps.
In one of the popular early forms of Auction Pitch, the player on the dealer's left has the right to "sell" the right to pitch. The player on the dealer's left may either assume the contract for a bid of 4, or give each player, beginning on his left, one bid as in Auction Pitch. The player on the dealer's left may then sell to the highest bidder, in which case that player becomes the pitcher, and the player on the dealer's left immediately scores the amount of the bid; or that player may become the pitcher at the highest bid made, in which case the high bidder immediately scores the amount of the bid.
Shasta Sam is the same game as California Jack, except that the stock is kept face down so that the winner of each trick does not know what card will be drawn. Before the deal, a card is cut or turned from the pack to determine the trump suit for that deal.
Based on the rules and play of Napoleon. In this a popular version of Napoleon, an extra hand of five cards is dealt to the right of the dealer's location.
Six people play in two partnerships of three each; each player has an opponent to his right and left. Three regular Pinochle packs, without the nines, are mixed together, making a pack of 120 cards. Each player is dealt 20 cards, and the rules of Double-Pack Pinochle apply, except that game is 4,550, the minimum bid is 750, and the last trick counts 30. Most of the extra melds made possible by the triple pack do not count extra; if a player should hold twenty aces, five of each suit, the value would be 2,500 (that is, 1,500 for triple aces plus 1,000 for double aces). However, a quintuple pinochle counts 4,000, and all six pinochles count 5,000 (which is more than enough for game, if the side is not 500 in the hole).
Sixty-Six is an ancestor of Bezique and dates back to the 17th century. Played in its original form, it is still a very enjoyable game.
First described in 1674 as "Five Fingers" (which, in this game, is a slang term for the five of trumps), Spoil Five is ancient and features elements that date back much further in time. The game's long popularity attests to its excellent play value. One variation, Twenty-Five, is a prominent game in Ireland. Yet another version, Forty-Five, is extremely popular in Nova Scotia.
Three 32-card packs are shuffled together to make a 96-card deck. The player to the dealer's left leads first, and thereafter, the winner of each trick leads next. The three participants play in clockwise rotation. Only the winner of the trick may declare. A triple bezique counts 1,500; a player having counted 500 for a double bezique may add the third and count 1,500. Game is usually set at 2,000.
A Pinochle game on the order of the two-hand game was once played by three players, usually with a 64-card pack. Each player received 12 cards in the deal and played in turn. Game was 1,000, as in the two-hand game. This version has been superseded by Auction Pinochle.
The dealer takes no cards and scores as many game points as are won on his deal by either of the other two players. If neither active player scores 66, or both score 66 or more but they fail to announce it, the dealer scores 1 game point, and active players do not score. The game is 7 game points. A dealer may not score enough to win the game; he must win his seventh point when he is an active player.
Based on the standard rules of Five Hundred. The two-hand game of Five Hundred. The pack and the deal are the same as in the three-hand game, except that the hand to the dealer's left is dealt face down on the table and is "dead." With these 10 cards out of play, the bidding is largely guesswork. Not to be left "at home" by a bold opponent, a player is bound to be forward in bidding and to speculate on getting the cards he needs from the widow. If a player's score reaches minus 500, his opponent wins the game.
Two or three centuries ago, Loo was the leading card game in England, "a favorite alike of the idle rich and industrious poor," reported Albert H. Morehead
Klaberjass, also known as Kalabrias, Klob, Klab, Clob, Clabber, Clobber, and Clubby, is the famous two-hand game played by the Broadway characters in Damon Runyon's stories. It is essentially the same as the French game Belotte. "Klaberjass" means "clover jack" (that is, the jack of clubs).
I Doubt It is excellent for children - and even for adults or for mixed groups - because it is easy to learn and can be played either haphazardly or scientifically.
Hearts may be played without scoring the Queen of spades as a counting card.
Many trick-taking games are not directly related to Bridge or Whist. Perhaps the foremost one is Hearts, which is truly one of the greatest card games ever devised for four players, each playing individually. The game is fairly easy to play, yet there is plenty of scope for high strategy.
Extremely popular in Mexico and the southern United States, this variation of Solo makes an excellent introduction to both Six-Bid Solo and Skat. Essentially, it's the same as Six-Bid Solo.
The scoring is the same as in the two-hand game, except that there are no marriages
Four 32-card packs are shuffled together to make a 128-card deck. The four players play in clockwise rotation. Participants may play as individuals or two against two as partners.
This version uses the same rules and, with exceptions noted below, the same scoring as standard Contract Bridge.
The five-hand game of Five Hundred. Five players use a standard 52-card pack, usually with the joker added, so that each player receives 10 cards and the widow has three cards, as in the the three-hand version.
In the early part of this century, Five Hundred was the favorite social game of the United States. It was finally eclipsed by Bridge but is still played worldwide by millions, particularly in Australia. It was devised and introduced in 1904 by the United States Playing Card Company, which held the copyright for 56 years but never charged anyone for its use
Euchre is an offshoot of Juckerspiel, a game that became widely popular throughout Europe during the Napoleonic era.
This zany variation is exactly the same as Six-Pack Bezique, except for the greater number of cards.
Duplicate Bridge is the only form of Bridge played in tournaments, but it is equally adapted to play in homes and clubs. It is considered the supreme test of skill among card games for the "luck of the deal" is eliminated to the extent that all of the competitors get to play the same cards.
A variation of basic Hearts. Standard elements of Hearts still apply as outlined through the rules.
The most popular form of Partnership Pinochle, Double Pack Pinochle evolved during the 1940s and produced two innovations: a double pack, with no nines or lower cards, and bidding during which a player can tell his partner about the contents of his hand.
This version of Euchre borrows from many of the other Euchre games. It is for four players - two partnerships - determined by agreement among the players. Trump is made as in Auction Euchre, by bidding.
Once the most popular game of the All Fours family, Cinch eventually gave way to Auction Bridge and finally to Contract Bridge among serious card players.
Chouette Bezique is a variation that allows three or more people to play Rubicon, Six-Pack Bezique, or Eight-Pack Bezique. The game is similar in format to a game called Chouette, a version of Backgammon which is played when more than two players want to participate in the same game.
This is a Partnership Auction Pinochle game in which special bonuses are paid in checks (chips) for unusual melds and for making or defeating the bid.
A variation of basic Hearts. Standard elements of Hearts still apply as outlined through the rules.
In this version for four, five or six players, partnerships are determined in secret. Trump is made as in the four-hand game by acceptance of the turn-up as trump, or declaration of another trump if the turn-up is rejected.
This game is a variation on the All Fours theme with the following twist: players replenish their hands from the stock after each trick, and the stock, unlike virtually all other card games, is always face up instead of face down.
Bridgette was invented by Joli Quentin Kansil who was the protege of Albert H. Morehead, the first Bridge editor of The New York Times. It is the only two-hand Bridge game that has been endorsed by many Bridge experts, and it has had a wide following since its introduction in 1970.
Since the 1930's, Bridge has been one of the most popular card games in the world. Today, perhaps only Poker has more participants. Countless newspapers have daily Bridge columns, and there are more books about Bridge than any other game, except Chess. Bridge tournaments continue to attract thousands of players who compete with each other to become Life Masters.
This game combines features of both Bridge and Poker and is thus a good link between these two frequently played games. Booray is also related to an old card game called "cart." Booray is popular in Louisiana and with French-speaking Canadians.
Bid Whist is a comparatively new game of the Whist family. In certain regions, it has gained a considerable following. The original version was invented by Hubert Phillips. Since then, some of the rules have changed.
This game is like regular Bezique except that no trump card is turned. The first marriage declared establishes the trump suit, and there is no count for the seven of trumps.
The original game of Bezique is the ancestor of American Pinochle, which, along with other versions - most notably, Rubicon Bezique and Six-Pack Bezique - have become more popular than the parent game. Three- and Four-Hand Bezique variations are described later.
Belotte is the most popular two-hand game in France. It is identical to Klaberjass, although the "schmeiss" is called "valse" (waltz).
This is a version of Schafskopf for four people who play two against two as partners. The cards are dealt four at a time, each hand receiving eight cards.
An enhanced version of Auction Pitch may be played with a 53-card pack, which includes the joker. There are 5 points in play, with the joker counting as 1 point to the player who wins it in a trick. The joker is the lowest trump in the play, but does not score for Low; that point goes to the holder of the lowest natural trump card. If the joker is pitched, it is a spade. The first player to score 10 points wins the game.
All Fours is a game of English origin and dates from the 17th century. Once known to virtually every card-playing American, it survives today, principally as Auction Pitch. It is still a popular game in the United States and has also evolved into Seven-Up, Cinch, and other games. There are many versions of Auction Pitch, and while the rules have changed greatly over the years, the essential feature has always been the scoring of high, low, jack, and the game.
This is the most popular form of Pinochle for three players and is played with the standard Pinochle pack.
This game is the same as Hearts Without Black Lady, except that players bid after the deal for the privilege of naming the suit to be avoided.
Whist is the direct forerunner of Bridge and is of English origin. Before the days of auction bridge and contract bridge it was a very popular game indeed, but today Whist has been superseded by Bridge.
This variation of Spoil Five and Forty-Five is one of the most popular games in Nova Scotia. The number 45 is no longer relevant to the game.
Auction Euchre: Also known as Five-Handed Euchre, Six-Handed Euchre or Seven-Handed Euchre. The Pack. For a five-hand game, 32 cards are used, as in Four-Hand Euchre. For six players, 36 cards are used - the usual pack with sixes added. For a seven-hand game, 52 cards are used. In each instance, the joker may be added if desired (and it will rank as the highest trump).
There is no difference whatsoever between Auction Bridge and Contract Bridge except in the scoring. Whereas in Contract Bridge the declarer's tricks count toward game or slam only if he bid for them, in Auction Bridge the declarer's overtricks also count toward game or slam.
