Description

Each player tries to win tricks without taking any jacks.

This uses a standard deck of 52 cards. In each suit, the cards rank: A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. The entire deck is dealt, except for the last card, which is revealed to determine the trump suit.

The player on the dealer's left has the first lead. Each player must then follow the suit of the led card if he can; if a player does not have a card of the suit led, he may play any card he wishes. The trick is won by the highest trump card played, or by the highest card of the suit led if no trumps are present. The winner of the trick leads the next trick.

At the end of each hand, each player scores one point for each trick taken, minus points for jacks:

hearts = -1 point
diamonds = -2 points
spades = -3 points
clubs = -4 point

(Mnemonic: if you have to take a Jack, you would love to take the one which hurts the least. Getting hit with a club hurts the most; getting hit with a spade hurts too, but not as much.)

A player may have a negative score. The winner is the first player to reach 20 points.