The GAME

A copy of a brief synopsis and evaluation which appeared in Games Magazine is provided below:

"Probably the most addictive family activity since eating. The deck comprises the 52 standard cards plus four Wizards and four Jesters. At the start of each hand, players bid the number of tricks t hey think they'll take, scoring 20 points for making their bid plus 10 points for each trick taken. Failing to make a bid loses 10 points for each trick over or under their number bid. Tricks are won by the highest card of the suit led, or by the highest trump (the upcard for each deal), or by the first Wizard. The taker of a trick leads to the next trick.

Players must follow suit if possible, but Wizard and Jesters can be played at any time. Wizards beat trump and are valuable not only for winning the given trick, but for taking the lead for the next trick. Jesters always lose, but they're just as important as Wizards: they can get you out of the lead when you don't want any more tricks, and they can let you save your trump or other sensitive cards for later.

One card is dealt to each player for the first hand, two for the next, then three, and so on, until all the cards are dealt in the final hand. Although the full deck is usually not in play, there's quite a lot of strategy and hard thinking in this hugely enjoyable game."