Trump 7

Contributed by David Schulman (falkners@home.com), who writes:

Trump 7 was designed with Sheepshead in mind. The inclusion of the Joker as well as a player being allowed to call trump (rather than having diamonds trump all the time) should add a little more skill to the game.

Players

Trump 7 is a game for three players with temporary partnerships during play.

Cards

The pack of 29. The Joker is the highest trump card and is the highest card in leaster. The rank of cards in each suit is: Q (high), J, 10, K, 9, 8, 7.

Dealing

Nine cards are dealt to each player, in three rounds of 3. The cards are dealt in rotation to the right, beginning with the eldest hand. After dealing the last packet to himself, the two remaining cards are placed face down on the table. This becomes the widow.

Trump/Scoring Cards

Eldest hand has the right to pick up the widow first; then middlehand and dealer in turn have the right to pick it up, if the preceding players have passed. The first to take the widow becomes the Player, and contracts to win at least 60 points by cards taken in tricks. If all three pass, the deal is played in leaster.

Before a player picks up the widow, he must call the suit that is to be trump for that round. He may call any suit. Once the trump suit as been established, the Player picks up the widow, then discards two cards. These cards count for him at the end of play. The two players that are not the Player, form a partnership to try and prevent the Player from reaching 60 points.

Point values.

The cards have point values as follows:

The Play

Eldest hand leads first. He may lead any card. A lead calls upon each other hand to follow suit if able; if unable, the hand may play any card. A trick is won by the highest trump, or by the highest card of the suit lead. The winner of each trick leads to the next. The Joker is the highest trump and when lead calls upon each player to play the trump suit. If unable, the hand may play any card.

Leaster

When all three pass, the widow is set aside, but is added to the tricks of the player who wins the last trick. There is no trump suit. Eldest hand makes opening lead and the rules of play are as usual. But the object is to win as few points in tricks as possible. Each plays for himself.

If every player takes a trick, the one with the fewest points scores 2 game points. If two tie for least, the one who did not take the last trick as between the two wins 2 game points. If one player takes no tricks, he scores 4 game points. If one player takes all the tricks, he loses 4 game points, the others scoring nothing.

The Joker has no suit. It may be played on any trick. If the Joker is lead, the player who lead must name the suit for which it is to represent. If unable to follow suit, hand may play any card. In leaster there is no Trump 7. There are 80 available points.

Scoring