Cucumber
Scandinavia’s no-trumps game. Play higher or dump your lowest, and don’t be holding the high card when the last trick comes. 2–7 players.
How to play Cucumber
- 1Everyone still in gets 7 cards. Suits don't matter: only ranks, with aces high. The player left of the dealer leads the first trick.
- 2The leader plays any card. After that, each player must play a card at least as high as the highest one in the trick so far, or else give up the lowest card in their hand.
- 3The highest card takes the trick, and if several are equally high, the one played last takes it. The winner leads the next trick. Taking tricks costs nothing, except the last one.
- 4Whoever takes the 7th and last trick scores penalty points equal to the card that took it: 2 to 10 as numbered, jack 11, queen 12, king 13, ace 14.
- 5Go over 30 points and you're out. The last player still in wins. So spend your high cards early and save a low one for the end.
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