Mariáš
The Czech classic for three. Pick trump from seven cards, then play against the other two for points, the last trick with the trump seven, or no tricks at all. 3 players.
How to play Mariáš
- 1Three players use 32 cards (7 through ace). The player after the dealer, forehand, plays every deal against the other two.
- 2Forehand first sees just seven cards and lays one face down: its suit will be trump. Then forehand gets five more cards, the others have ten each.
- 3Forehand announces the game: Game (more points than the defenders), Game and Seven (also take the last trick with the seven of trumps), Betl (take no tricks) or Durch (take every trick). Betl and Durch have no trumps. Then forehand puts two cards out of play (no aces or tens in a trump game) and leads.
- 4Follow suit, and beat the best card of the led suit if you can. Out of that suit, you must trump, beating any trump already played if you can. Only when you have neither may you play anything.
- 5In trump games cards rank A, 10, K, Q, J, 9, 8, 7. Aces and tens are worth 10 each and the last trick 10 more. Playing a king or queen while holding its partner scores a marriage: 20, or 40 in trumps. In Betl and Durch cards rank A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7.
- 6Each defender pays the declarer for a win, or is paid for a loss: Game 1, the Seven 2 (but 4 if it fails), Betl 5, Durch 10. A tie on points loses the Game.
- 7We play 9 deals, three each as forehand. The highest total wins.
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