The Penguin Book of Card Games: Everything You Need to Know to Play Over 250 Games (17 page)

minus 200 if lost.

Moon, or Boston: A bid to win al 13 tricks, also worth plus or

minus 200 (or 500 if 10-for-200 is also recognized).

No trump: Anyone bidding a number of tricks ‘no trump’ thereby

undertakes not to win any tricks by ruf ing, but only by playing

highest in the suit led (which may be spades). Such a bidder must

hold at least one trump, and must get his partner’s permission by

asking ‘Can you cover a no trump?’ and get ing the reply, ‘Yes.’ The

bid wins or loses double.

Double Nil: Both partners may bid nil for a joint win or loss of

500 points (or an automatic win or loss of the game). If either wins

a trick, their opponents get a bonus of 100 points.

Bemo: Lit le Bemo is a bid to win the first six tricks in addition to

the normal bid, for a separate bonus of 60 won or lost. Big Bemo is

the same for the first nine tricks and a score of 90 won or lost.

Solo Spades

Four can play without partnerships, each bidding individual y. If

you can fol ow suit, you must, if possible, beat the highest card so

far played to the trick; if unable to fol ow suit, you must trump, and

overtrump, if possible.

I Kaiser

4 players (2 × 2), 32 cards

Of many interesting games peculiar to Canada, this one is especial y

popular in the Ukrainian communities of Saskatchewan and

neighbouring provinces and has been so since about the mid

twentieth century. The fol owing is derived from material posted on

the Internet. (The game is not to be confused with Kaiserspiel or

Kaiserjass, the modern form of Karnof el.)

Preliminaries Four players sit ing crosswise in partnerships use a

32-card pack basical y ranking AKQJT987 in each suit. However,

the 7 is replaced by 3 and the 7 by 5, both remaining lowest in

their respective suits.

Deal Deal eight cards each in ones.

Object For the bidding side to win at least as many points as it bid,

counting 1 per trick, plus 5 for winning the 5 in a trick, and minus

3 for catching 3 in a trick (yielding a maximum possible 12

points). Bidding Each in turn, starting with eldest, has one

opportunity to speak, and may use it to pass or bid. The minimum

bid is 5, the maximum 12, and each must be higher than the last.

No prospective trump is named when bidding, but a bidder

intending to play at no trump should say so (e.g. ‘Five no’). There

are two exceptions to the need to bid higher. One is that a no

trump bid beats one of the same number with trump implied. The

other is that the dealer can beat the previous cal er by naming the

same bid, not necessarily higher.

If al pass, the hands are scrapped and the deal passes round. Play

The highest bidder names trumps, if any, and leads to the first trick.

Players must fol ow suit if possible, otherwise may play any card.

The trick is taken by the highest card of the suit led, or by the

The trick is taken by the highest card of the suit led, or by the

highest trump if any are played, and the winner of each trick leads

to the next.

Score Each side counts 1 per trick, plus 5 for 5 and minus 3 for 3.

The bidding side, if it won at least as many points as it bid, scores

the number of points it actual y took, doubled if played at no

trump. If not, it loses the amount of its bid, also doubled at no

trump.

The non-bidders score the amount they actual y took, unless their

cumulative score is 45 or more, in which case it remains pegged.

(But if they finish with a negative count, for example by taking only

one trick containing the 3, then it is deducted regardless of their

total.)

Game is 52 points.

Variations Many are listed on the Pagat website.

Forty-One

4 players (2×2),52 cards

This Middle-Eastern game was observed by Dan Glimne being

played by Syrian immigrants in Sweden. It was said to be much

played in Syria, lesssoinLebanon, but notinIraq, Jordanor Saudi

Arabia. Aninteresting feature is that partners must play in such a

way as to assist each other as individuals.

Preliminaries Four players, sit ing crosswise in partnerships and

playing to the right, receive13 cards each, dealt 1-2-2-2-2-2-2 from

a 52-card French pack ranking AKQJT98765432.

Object For either member of a partnership to reach 41 points over

as few deals as possible, by accurately bidding how many tricks

they wil win, with hearts as permanent trumps.

Auction Each in turn from the dealer’s right examines his cards and

states the minimum number of tricks he expects to win. If the four

bids total less than 11, the cards are thrown in and the deal passes

on. However, bids of seven or more count double, so any such bid

automatical y ensures that play wil proceed.

Play Eldest leads first. Players must fol ow suit if possible, otherwise

may play any card. The trick is taken by the highest card of the suit