Rounds

Contributed by David Schulman (falkners@home.com)

Players

Rounds is a game for two players.

Cards

The pack of 52. The cards in each suit rank: A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.

Preliminaries

Cards are drawn: the higher deals first. Cards must be cut by non-dealer before first deal. Deal alternates between players after each game.

Dealing

Each player receives nine cards, dealt one at a time, beginning with non-dealer. The 19th card is turned face up and placed, half exposed, under the stock pile. This card becomes the foundation of the trump/rank pile.

The Rounds

The 19th card represents the trump suit for the first round. The rank of the card is also trump for that round and, when played, overtrumps the trump suit. Example: Jack of clubs is the 19th card. For the first round, all clubs are trump and the three remaining Jacks overtrump clubs.

The goal of each round is to:

• A) Win at least three out of five tricks.
• B) Take in cards that are worth points.
• C) Stop opponent from doing A and B.

Any card may be led. A player must follow suit when able. If unable, player may play any card. Highest card wins trick unless trumped, then highest trump wins. Winner of trick leads to the next, unless the trick was the last trick in the round*. If the trump suit is lead, and a player is void, but holds a rank trump card, that player must play the rank trump card. If a rank trump card is lead, it shall be treated as the trump suit and, if able, the opposing player must follow suit. If two rank trump cards are played, the leader wins the trick.

After the first round is over, four cards will remain in each hand. The dealer picks up the stock pile, and deals out five cards to each player, bringing each hand back to a total of nine cards. The 11th card in the deal is turned face up, and placed on top of the trump/rank pile. This card fixes the trump/rank for the second round of five tricks.

The cards in the trump/rank pile may be viewed by either player, in any round, so long as their order remains unchanged.

* The non-dealer always plays first in each round, regardless of who won the last trick.

The Final Round

The final deal starts round four. Once both players' hands are filled to nine cards, the last remaining card from the stock pile is placed face up on the trump/rank pile and that card becomes the trump/rank for the final two rounds. Play is as before, but when the final round begins--being round five--both players will be holding only four cards. The winner of the final trick takes the trump/rank pile and adds it to his pile as the fifth trick in the round. Therefore, the final trick in the game is worth two tricks. If any scoring cards are in the trump/rank pile, they are scored for the winner of the pile.

Scoring

Majority of Tricks: 10 points for each round won (10 points x 5 rounds = 50 points).

There is no bonus for winning all five tricks, or all five rounds.

The cards that are worth points are:

               Each Ace            4 points
               Each King           3 points
               Each Queen          2 points
               Each Jack           1 point
               2 of Hearts        10 points

               Tricks for Rounds  50 points				
	
               Total             100 points per game

All points are counted at the end of each game, not after each round. When one players' score reaches 200 points, or more, he wins the game. The difference between the two scores is calculated, and that number shall be the "Game Winning Score."

Example: Dealer wins with 219 points. Non-dealer has 181 points. Therefore, the Game Winning Score is 38. (219 - 181 = 38)

In the event of a tie at 200 points, one full game of five rounds shall be played to determine the winner.

The Revoke

Since cards are added to one's hand during the course of the game, it is possible that a player may revoke by either playing a trump card to take a trick, when one's hand had a legal play, or play an off suit when a legal card was in one's hand.

A revoke may be corrected before the trick is quitted. If it is corrected before the player who revoked plays to the next trick, the opponent who played after the revoke may retract one's card and substitute another.

If a player revokes, only to play a legal card on another trick during the round, a penalty will be enforced. For example: Ace of hearts is the trump/rank card. Player A leads 8 of hearts, Player B plays 2 of spades. Player A then leads 2 of hearts, Player B then plays 3 of hearts. If this happens, Player A will be awarded both tricks, and Player B must leave their entire hand exposed for the remainder of that round.

If Player A so mixes the tricks that a claim of revoke cannot be proved by Player B, the claim will be considered proved. In this event, Player B will be awarded the revoked trick plus a 25 point bonus to be scored immediately. If this raises Player B's score to 200 points, or more, Player B wins the game.

The Call

At anytime, either player may call the other player to expose their entire hand. If the player who was called made an illegal play during that round, the called player must leave their entire hand exposed on the table for the remainder of the that round. The trick that was taken in illegally is awarded to the player who called plus a 25 point bonus is scored immediately. If this raises that player's score to 200 points, or more, that player wins the game.

If the player who was called proves that all plays during that round were legal, the player who called must leave their entire hand exposed for the rest of that round. No tricks change hands, but a 25 point bonus is scored immediately by the called player. If this raises that player's score to 200 points, or more, that player wins the game.