Throwback

A Game Rules Guru original card game created by Steve Wannall

Number of Players

2 – 6

Deck

A standard deck of 52 playing cards, jokers removed.

Deal

The dealer deals out 8 cards face-down to each player, and then turns the top card of the remaining deck face-up on the table. The suit of the face-up card determines the trump for the hand. Each player then looks at his or her hand and chooses 4 cards to discard or “throwback.” Each player places their 4 discards on top of the deck of remaining cards face-down. The single face-up “trump card” remains face-up on the table for the entire hand as a reminder of the trump suit.

Play

Play starts with the player to the dealer’s left who plays a single card from their hand face-up on the table. Play then proceeds clockwise with each player in turn playing a single card from their hand. Players must follow suit if possible. If a player does not have a card of the suit led, they may play any card they wish. When every player has played a card, the trick is won by the player who played the highest card of the suit that was led, unless there were trump cards played…in which case the highest trump card wins the trick. Of course, a trump card may only be played if a player is void in the suit that was led. The hand is over after 4 tricks (when every player has played all of their cards). Players then calculate their score, and the deal passes to the left for a new hand.

Scoring

After each hand, each player tallies up the point cards in all of the tricks they managed to take. Players score 1 point for each trump card, 1 point for each royal card (10, J, Q, K, A), and 2 points for each royal trump card (10, J, Q, K, A of trump).

Object

The first player to reach 50 points wins.