RULES OF CARD GAME TERTZ

BASIC RULES

The game is for 2 players using a pack of 32 cards in which cards 2-6 have been removed. Game is won by the player whose score first reaches or passes a total of 501. 9 cards are dealt. The remaining cards form the stock,the top card of which is turned up to establish the trump. It isn't obligatory to follow a suit led or trump if the suit cannot be followed. Play as you please untill the stock isn't exhausted.The highest card of the suit led or a trump wins the trick. Winner takes the lead,draws the top card of the stock,as does the other player and game continues. When players take last 2 cards from the stock, other stage of play begins. The leader's opponent must follow suit if able. If the suit cannot be followed, then it is obligatory to trump. Having none of the trump-cards either, you can play as you please. The leader's opponent must win the trick if able. 7 of trump suit can be exchanged for the original turn-up trump after any of 6 first tricks. It must be exchanged before the stock is exhausted. The player can announce the cards combinations before own lead or after opponent's lead. If the opponent holds a card combination too,combinations are compared and that player scores who holds stronger combination. The player must show winning combination. You can use the trump jack as you please all the time of game. The KING and the QUEEN of trump suit are MARRIAGE.

STRATEGY

If the player have a long run of consecutive cards in one suit, he can announce combinations,which are a part of the long ran, but only one of them before he plays a card face up. For example combination KQJ10 contains combinations KQJ and QJ10. You can announce QJ10 ( 20 points ) before you play 1-st trick, then KQJ (20 points) before you play 2-nd trick, then KQJ10 (50 points) before you play 3-d trick. A card used and scored in one combination of consecutive cards cannot be counted in another lower combination of the same class. For example player announced 10, 9, 8, 7 of spades ( 50 points ), before play of next trick he draws the card from the stok, this is renderred the Jack of spades. He cannot announce J, 10,9; only J, 10, 9, 8 or J, 10, 9, 8, 7 declarations are possible. If you have several combinations of different cards at the moment, it is enough to announce best. In case announced combination is the winning one, you can score points for another combinations too. There is no point to begin announcements always at lower combination. Correct way is to account number of announcements, which is enough to win. Players keep as usual trump jack for playing the last trick. It can be used against opponent's ace or 10 in case rest cards strong enough to win last trick.

SCORRING

Players score points either by taking cards in tricks or by combinations. Cards are worth in points: ACE -11; TEN - 10; KING - 3; QUEEN -2; JACK - 20 points in trump suit, 1 point in another suit; NINE - 13 points in trump suit, 7, 8, simple 9 - no points. Combinations held in hand are worth (in order of comparison seniority): 4 jacks - 200 points; 4 aces, 4 kings,4 queens - 100 points; run of 8 ,7, 6, 5 consecutive cards in one suit - 100 points. 4 consecutive cards - 50 points. 3 consecutive cards in one suit(Tertz) - 20 points. Combinations of consecutive cards are compared according to the length. Equal length combinations are compared according to highest card, eg K-Q-J beats 10 ,9 ,8. Combinations of cards with equal highest cards-winning combination is the announcer's one. The marriage is declared by player anytime as he pleases. Marriage is an absolute combinationon, it can always count regardless of any other combinations either players may hold. Marriage scores 20 points. The player taking the last trick with whatever card counts 10 points. He is the leader after next deal.

TACTICS, TRICS, EXAMPLES

All examles are from real hands of computer card game CARDPARADE.

This example demonstrates situation when the player has a long run of consecutive cards: King, Queen, Jack, Ten of spades (diamond tertz was announced earlier). One may announce younger combination (Queen, Jack, Ten) on current lead, (King, Queen, Jack) on next and so on. Though there is a risk that opponent won't let to score for weaker tertz by announcing of higher own.

Here you are such a situation. The player announced Queen, Jack, Ten of spades on previous lead. The opponent won a trick, tried to announce a tertz and led. You see rank of opponent's cards but those cards suit is unknown. In real game player says 'terz'. If opponent has tertz too he asks for rank of higher tertz card. In our example announcer would answer 'nine'. Opponent has two varieties: to say 'Good' or to say 'My is higher' and put on table own higher tertz - so he scores for tertz but not announcer.

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