It is fun to play cards, especially when the game involves both luck and skill like the trick-taking games in the Bridge/Whist family.
What do you do when there are only three people around? Inviting the cat to play is not always satisfying...
They get bored so easily, don't they?
We are big fans of the game 9-5-2, also known as Sergeant Major. And through the magic of the Internet, we have access to a couple of versions of the basic rules, along with some optional rules that come up as people experience the ups and downs of the game and want to introduce something to make the game even more enjoyable.
A quick overview: 9-5-2 is a game for 3 people, played with a normal deck of 52 cards. Each player starts with 16 cards, and there is a kitty of 4 cards set aside during the deal. The dealer has a target to take at least 9 tricks; the player to dealer's left must take at least 5, and the third player must take at least 2.
Nines is a simple game that uses two decks of standard cards with jokers included, and is based almost entirely on luck. Players are dealt nine cards each, and they proceed to line them up into three vertical columns (3 cards per column). They each then turn over two cards that are in different columns.
- Golfers and non-golfers alike enjoy Play Nine ™. The combination of strategy and luck-of-the-draw keeps the fun and challenge alive down to the last hole. The card game of golf, is easy to learn and fun to play so - Let's Play Nine!
- This is one of a group of South Asian trick-taking games in which the Jack and the Nine are the highest cards in every suit. It is almost certain that they are descended from the European family of Jass games, which originated in the Netherlands.
- Nines is a card game that involves planning and luck. The game begins with each player being dealt nine cards face down in a 3 by 3 grid. The remaining cards go into the center to be used as the draw pile for the remainder of the game.
- Deal each player eight cards, face down. Keeping cards face down, each player arranges cards into two rows of four cards across, creating an individual playing area. Place remaining cards in a face-down stack in the center. Turn over top card to form a discard pile.
If you surpass your target, you are rewarded on the next hand with the privilege of passing low cards from your hand to the players who failed to make their targets, and they must return to you the highest card they have in that suit. This exchange means the rich tend to get richer as the game goes on, and the misery of losing is compounded by having to endure the humiliation caused by smirking opponents passing you their 2s and 3s so that you can bless them with your precious aces and kings.
We add two local rules to even things out. On the very first hand of the game, we play 9-4-3 instead of 9-5-2. In the first hand, having to get 5 is too hard, and having to get 2 is too easy. So it's 9-4-3 for the first hand then 9-5-2 after that.
Play Nine Card Game Online
Our second rule is contrary genius. Let's say that you are the dealer this hand, and you were down 4 tricks going into your deal. You are going to get 4 pretty low cards and give away 4 pretty high cards. The rule is...you have the option of calling 'Low No Trump' where the lowest card of the suit led wins the trick. A person can do pretty well with a hand that is total crap by normal standards. The 'Low No' rule does not show up in the rules I linked to above./pic3769123.png "Online")
The result? Better mental health, better relationships at the table. What a great game.