The Penguin Book of Card Games: Everything You Need to Know to Play Over 250 Games (151 page)

and the black Joker only by the red.

2. Pair. Two of a kind can be beaten only by a pair of higher

rank, Jokers being highest. A Deuce or Joker may be paired

with a natural card, but a natural pair beats a wild pair of the

same rank. Deuce +Joker counts as a wild pair, and is

therefore beaten by two natural Deuces.

3. Triplet, quartet. The same, with the additional note that a

wild set can be beaten only by a higher rank or a natural set

of the same rank, not by a wild set containing fewer wild

cards. Note: if a three-card lead contains both jokers, the

leader must state whether it is to be counted and fol owed as

a triplet or a three-card sequence. For example,

-

-7

could be interpreted as three Sevens or 9-8-7.

4. Single sequence. A sequence is three or more cards in

numerical order, anywhere from Three (low) to Ace (high).

Deuces may not be used in sequences at al , but either or both

Jokers may be used to fil any gaps. A sequence is beaten by a

higher one of the same length, or a wild one by a natural one

of the same length and height. For example, 3-4-

is beaten

by 3-4-5, and so on. It is not beaten by a longer sequence, nor

is it even legal to play one. However, a mixed suit sequence

is it even legal to play one. However, a mixed suit sequence

can be beaten by a flush sequence (al the same suit), even if

lower in rank. Once a flush sequence has been played, al

subsequent sequences must also be flush – not necessarily in

the same flush suit – and higher. For this purpose Jokers

count as belonging to the desired suit.

5. Multiple sequence. Two or more sequences of the same length

and rank – or, to put the same thing another way, three or

more pairs, triplets, or quartets of consecutive ranks,

regardless of suit. The lowest possible multiple sequence is

33-44-55. A Joker may represent any desired card, and a

Deuce may represent an accompanying natural card, but not

an entire missing rank. (For example, 33-42-25 is legal, and

33-

2-55, but not 33-22-55.) A multiple sequence is beaten

only by one of higher rank, except that, as between sequences

of the same height, an entirely natural one beats one

containing any wild cards.

Going out and scoring The first player to run out of cards scores 2,

and the second 1 point. The others score nothing, but third out has

the slight advantage of leading to the next round, to which – if

western practice is fol owed – the loser (not out) has the onerous

task of dealing. After the deal, but before the opening lead, the two

losers must each place their highest-ranking card (regardless of suit)

face up on the table. The winner of the previous round takes

whichever of these he prefers, and second out takes the other, each

laying out any single card face up in exchange. Of these two

discards, the previous third out adds whichever he prefers to his

hand, leaving the loser to take the other.

If four play in partnerships, each partnership’s score is that of its

two partners added together.

If five or more play, for ‘third out’ read ‘second to last player

out’. Those in intermediate positions between the top two and the

bot om two neither score nor exchange any cards.

Play up to any agreed total, such as 10 points.

Comments The skil of this game lies in deciding how best to divide

your cards into matching ranks as opposed to sequences, and even

then in being prepared to switch plans for tactical reasons. For

example, the combination J-J-Q-Q-K-K maybe regarded as a

multiple sequence, or as two separate sequences (J-Q-K)(J-Q-K), or

as three pairs (J-J)(Q-Q)(K-K). Always get rid of low cards when

you have the lead, as there is no other way of losing a Three, or a

sequence based on one, than by leading it – though a nice coup, if

you can pul it of , is to win a round with a high combination,

leaving yourself with only a Three in hand, which you then lead to

go out. It is rather like winning a trick at Bridge with a Two after

drawing al the trumps. Don’t hold on to a high-ranking, multi-card

combination for too long, or you may reach a point at which no

one can lead a low version of the right sort of combination to

enable you to come in.

Tieng Len

4 players (best), 52 cards

Said to be the national card game of Vietnam (and to mean

something like ‘Speak up’), Tieng Lenis arelatively simple

memberofthe ‘climbing’ family.

Preliminaries Three or four players use a single 52-card pack; more

than four may use a doubled pack.

Cards Suits rank from high to low - - - r. In each suit, cards

rank 2AKQJT9876543. Thus 2 is the highest card and 3 the

lowest.