Rules
The players are divided into two teams of 3 players each. Generally, the players are seated alternating teams. Each player is dealt 8 cards, which they keep to themselves. Conceptually, the 48 cards are divided into 8 sets. Each of the 4 suits has two 6-card sets, a 'low' set containing cards numbered 3 through 8, and a 'high' set containing cards 9 through Ace. Players are not to communicate anything about the card(s) or the number of cards they hold to team members, verbally or otherwise. Generally, players do not fan out their cards so that they don't reveal the number of cards they have (but some variations require a player to report how many cards he or she is holding when asked).
The object is to get more points than the other team. One point is given every time a team successfully declares (wins) a set. A player declares a set by identifying the set, and then identifying which of his/her team members (including the player) hold which cards in that set. A player can only declare a set on his/her turn, and must attribute every card in the set to a team member. For example, a player (with teammates named Mary and Joseph) might declare a set by announcing:
- Low spades, I have the 4 and 8, Mary has the 3, and Joseph has the 5, 6, and 7.
If the attributions are correct, then his/her team receives 1 point. If the attributions are false, and all the cards in the set were held by team members, then nothing happens. However, if the attributions are false, and one or more of the cards in the set were held by a player from the opposing team, then the team of the declaring player loses 1 point.
The game begins with one player, usually the dealer, asking for a card from an opposing team member, specifically naming rank and number/symbol. Players must have at least one card in the same set of the card they are asking for. Players are disallowed from asking for cards they already possess. If the opposing player has the card, they must give it to the asking player, who is then allowed to ask again for a specific card from any opposing team member. If the opposing player does not have the card, it is then that player's turn to ask. Players can declare sets at any time during their turn. The game proceeds in this manner until all the sets have been declared.
If a player accidentally asks for a card that is in their own hand, they must immediately alert all other players to this mistake, as this can throw off every player following that set, including that player's own teammates.
Read more about this topic: Literature (card Game)
Famous quotes containing the word rules:
“Learn hence for ancient rules a just esteem;
To copy Nature is to copy them.”
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744)
“However patriarchal the world, at home the child knows that his mother is the source of all power. The hand that rocks the cradle rules his world. . . . The son never forgets that he owes his life to his mother, not just the creation of it but the maintenance of it, and that he owes her a debt he cannot conceivably repay, but which she may call in at any time.”
—Frank Pittman (20th century)
“Although none of the rules for becoming more alive is valid, it is healthy to keep on formulating them.”
—Susan Sontag (b. 1933)