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Contributed by Odo fitz Gilbert

A game for up to 8 people (standard deck+Joker) or 10 people (Tarot deck). Play with fewer than 4 will not be rewarding either in terms of fun or points/money.

This is a betting game where the bet in each round is determined by consensus of the players. The bet will be put in five times in each hand. (I.e. if the bet is a nickle, the players will probably put in a quarter in each hand.)

1. Players ante up.

2. Deal: Dealer gives each player six cards and sets the deck aside.

3. Discard: Each player looks at their cards and discards one, leaving them with five cards in their hand. Discards are face-down.

4. Play: Each player selects any card from his hand and places it or holds it in front of him (her). When all cards are ready to play, they are displayed simultaneously.

5.1: No Ace is shown: Person with the highest card is excused from adding to the pot. Everyone else puts in the bet. Cards rank from high to low AKQJT98765432. In case of a tie the suits rank as in Bridge, from high to low spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs. Return to 4.

5.2: One or more players have played an Ace: If only one Ace, then that person takes the pot. If more than one Ace, the Aces are ranked as in Bridge, from high to low: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs. Highest Ace takes the pot. All players (including the winner) refresh the pot, and play continues. Return to 4.

5.3: On playing the fifth card, whoever has the highest card takes the pot. Face value tie is settled by suit. Return to step 1.

6. The Joker is a "super-Ace" and upon being played automatically takes the pot.

Tarot variant: Order of suits (if an Italian-suited tarot deck is used) is Swords, Cups, Coins, Batons (Staves). Ace takes the pot unless one of the trumps ("major arcana") is played. Trumps rank in numerical order, except that the Fool (0) is highest, above the 21. (Editor's note: players will need to agree the ranking order of the suit cards. The inventor's statement that an Ace takes the pot suggests that the intended order is with Ace highest, rather than the normal Tarot ranking order in which the Ace is lowest or in round/red suits fifth highest.)

Note: whereas in the game with a standard pack only 5 out of 53 cards take the pot, in the tarot variant 26 out of 78 cards do so. This large number of trumps may make the Tarot variant less satisfying. Players may like to experiment with variants where the number of trumps is reduced, or only some of the trumps have the power to take the pot.

Last updated: 21st February 2022

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