Tennis

This trick-based card game was invented by Jimmy Kaplowitz and JC Ravage. The rules are as follows:

1) A regular 52-card deck with the aces removed (for a total of 48 cards) is used for this game, which can be played with 2, 3, 4, or 6 players.

2) The whole deck is dealt out evenly.

3) The object of the game is to be the last player with any remaining cards.

4) The rule for precedence of cards is as follows: Suits are irrelevant. Each card beats all cards one or two numbers or ranks below it, and is beaten by all cards one or two numbers or ranks above it. (Cards 'turn the corner,' so a 2 will beat a King and Queen and a 3 will beat a 2 and a King). Any other interaction between cards results in a tie.

5) Before every round, each player deals himself six cards from his pile.

6) Gameplay works as follows: Each round is composed of six tricks, in which each player plays one card of his or her choosing from his or her hand. Players take turns going first, starting with the dealer and going clockwise. The winner of each round is the player whose card has the best record (i.e. the difference between the number of its wins and its losses, with wins being in the majority, is the greatest). In the event of ties, all cards from the trick are set aside.

A sample trick illustrating this rule:
Let's say that in a six-player game, the players play as follows:

• Player 1: King
• Player 2: Two
• Player 3: Six
• Player 4: Seven
• Player 5: Nine
• Player 6: Queen

Result of the trick:

• The King beats the Queen, but loses to the two, so it is (1-1).
• The Two beats the King and Queen, and is not beaten, so it is (2-0).
• The Six is beaten by the Seven, and does not beat anything, so it is (0-1.)
• The Seven beats the Six but is beaten by the Nine, so it is (1-1).
• The Nine beats the Seven and is not beaten, so it is (1-0).
• The Queen is beaten by the King and does not beat anything, so it is (0-1).

Therefore, the two wins, as it has the best record - it won one more than the nine, the only other undefeated card.

Theoretically, six honest players should be able to each figure out their own card's record fairly quickly.

7) When any cards are set aside, then the next player to win a trick wins the set-aside cards as well. Any cards won during the hand are placed on the bottom of the winner's pile, from which future hands will be dealt. If the end of a round comes with cards still set aside, then they are removed from play.

8) If at the beginning of a round a player does not have six cards left, then the round will consist of only the number of tricks equal to the number of cards held by the player holding the fewest cards.

Direct any questions to JC at Quiet__Man@Juno.com or Jimmy at jimmy@kaplowitz.org