The Penguin Book of Card Games: Everything You Need to Know to Play Over 250 Games (155 page)

the wastepile. The first must be a higher card of the same suit as the

top card of the pile, and the second may then be any card at al .

A player unable or unwil ing to beat the top card must take it

and add it to his own hand, and keep doing so until he uncovers a

card which he is able and wil ing to beat. He does so, adds any

second card, and play continues as before. If, however, he thereby

takes the whole pile, his turn ends, and the next in turn starts a new

pile with a single card.

Trump-making Any player, on his turn to play, may nominate a

Trump-making Any player, on his turn to play, may nominate a

specific suit as his personal trump. Thereafter, the first of his two

discards must be either a higher one of the same suit as the top

card, or any card of his personal trump suit. Although each player

wil normal y choose a dif erent suit, it is permit ed, and can be

tactical y interesting, for two or more players to entrump the same

one.

A player having once declared a trump is subject to the fol owing

rules. First, he may not cancel or change his suit for the rest of the

game. Second, whenever he finds himself unable or unwil ing to

beat the top card, he may not remove cards one by one but must

take the whole pile into hand. A new one is then started with a

single card by the next in turn to play.

Ending When a player plays his last card to the pile, he drops out

of play, and the others continue from the next in turn. If the player

who went out did so by playing two cards, play continues exactly as

before. If, however, he had only one card at the start of his last turn

and so went out by beating the top card, then the current wastepile

is turned face down and put to one side. The next in turn then starts

a new wastepile by playing one card only, and play continues as

before.

Game The overal winner is the one who loses fewest of an agreed

number of games. Alternatively, it is the one who has not lost a

game when everyone else has lost at least one.

Comment Lacking rules for fewer players, I suggest three receive

ten each from a 30-card pack made by removing the black Sevens,

and two twelve each from a 24-card pack with Nine low.

Mustamaija(‘Black Maria’, Spardame)

3-5 players, 52 cards

This is one of several Finnish games sent me by Veikko

Lahdesmaki. The Norwegian game of Spardame (‘spade Queen’) is

almost identical, and may be played with a double pack but with

one Q removed.

Preliminaries From three to five players receive five cards each

(3+2 or 2+3) from a 52-card pack ranking AKQJT98765432 in

every suit, except that Q is not a spade but an entirely

independent card. Stack the rest face down.

Object To run out of cards, and especial y to avoid being the last

player left in and holding Q, known as Black Maria.

Opening Eldest starts the first bout by playing face up to the table

from one to five cards of the same suit, which may include Q if

the others are spades.

Trump Next, dealer turns the top card of the stock for trump. If it is

a spade, bury it and turn again until some other suit appears. Then

half cover the turn-up with the remainder of the pack face down as

a stock.

Play On your turn to play:

1. If the previous player took cards from the table, leaving none

face up, start a new bout by playing face up to the table from

one to five cards of the same suit.

2. If the previous player left one or more cards on the table, you

may beat as many of them as you can and wil by placing

upon each one either a higher card of the same suit, or, if it is

a plain suit, any trump. Discard face down from the game al

the cards you beat, and those you beat them with. In this

connection –

Q can neither beat nor be beaten by any other card, and

Q can neither beat nor be beaten by any other card, and

must therefore always be taken up.

If you leave any cards unbeaten, add them to your hand.

If you beat them al , start a new bout (as above).

If at the end of your turn you have fewer than five cards in hand,

whether you started a new bout or had to take unbeaten cards,

draw from stock until either you have five again or the stock runs

out.

Endgame When the stock is empty, the leader to a bout may not

play out more cards than are held by the next in turn to play.

Players drop out as they run out of cards. The last left in wil be

holding Q and is designated Black Maria.

Kitumaija (‘Wan Maria’)

2-5 players, 52 cards

Another Finnish game, a cross between Durak and Mustamaia. Kitu

means to suf er pain, or pine away.

Preliminaries From two to five players receive five cards each

(3+2) from a 52-card pack, of which the next is turned to start the

first spread, and the remainder are stacked face down.

Object To run out of cards, and especial y to avoid being the last

player left in and holding Q, known as Wan Maria.

Trumps Cards rank AKQJT98765432 in each suit, except that Q is

entirely independent. Diamonds trump spades and hearts, but not

clubs, which are invulnerable.

Play Each in turn, starting with eldest, plays as fol ows.