Draft:Joker (Card Game)

Joker (Card Game)

Overview

Joker is a four-player trick-taking card game that involves bidding, strategic use of trump cards, and unique Joker mechanics. The objective is for players to accurately predict the number of tricks they will win in each round. Points are awarded based on precise bidding, with bonuses for consistency across phases. The game combines elements of traditional trick-taking with layered strategies around the Jokers and trump cards.

Objective

The aim of Joker is for each player to win exactly the number of tricks they have bid in each round. Players score points by matching their bids and earn bonuses for consistency and special strategic plays involving the Jokers.

Game Setup

• Players: 4 players.
• Deck: 36 cards, composed of:
  • Diamonds and Hearts (Red suits): Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 (9 cards each).
  • Spades and Clubs (Black suits): Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7 (8 cards each).
  • Jokers: 2 (replacing the 6 of Spades and the 6 of Clubs).
• Card Rankings:
  • Ace is the highest card in all suits.
  • Lowest Red Card: 6 (Diamonds and Hearts).
  • Lowest Black Card: 7 (Spades and Clubs).

Determining the First Dealer

To start the game, cards are dealt to determine who will be the dealer for the first round. Each player is dealt cards one at a time until someone receives an Ace. The first player to receive an Ace becomes the dealer for the first round.

Game Structure

Dealing Rounds

• Cards are dealt in increasing and then decreasing order, from 1 card up to 9, then back down to 1.
• There are four 9-card rounds, occurring in the middle and at the end of the game.
• Points are recorded after each major phase: the initial 1-8 rounds, the first 9-card phase, the descending 8-1 rounds, and the final 9-card phase.

Bidding

• After cards are dealt, players bid on the number of tricks they intend to win for that round.
• Bidding begins with the player to the dealer’s left. The last player to bid cannot make a bid that would result in the sum of all bids matching the number of cards dealt, ensuring an uneven distribution of tricks.

Trump Suit Selection (in 9-Card Rounds)

• The player immediately after the dealer may choose the trump suit after reviewing their first three cards.
• A No-Trump Option allows the player to declare a round without a trump suit.

Gameplay and Trick Rules

Trick-Taking Basics

• The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick, with players required to follow suit if possible.
• If a player lacks the suit led, they must play a trump card if available; otherwise, they may play any card.
• The highest card in the suit led wins the trick unless a trump card is played, in which case the highest trump wins.

Joker Mechanics

Jokers introduce unique strategies in the game, providing options to influence each trick.

Declaring a Suit

• When a player leads with a Joker, they may declare any suit (including trump) as the required suit for that trick.
• Player Responses:
  • If a player has cards in the declared suit, they must play their highest card in that suit.
  • If a player does not have the declared suit but has a trump card, they must play a trump, with the highest trump winning the trick and causing the Joker to lose.
  • If a player has neither the declared suit nor a trump card, they may play any card. If no trump is played, the Joker wins the trick by default.
• Joker vs. Joker: If one Joker is played and another Joker follows, the second Joker automatically beats the first.

Winning Automatically with Trump

• If a Joker is used to declare the trump suit, it wins the trick automatically, even if other trump cards are played.

Laying Down the Joker

• The Joker can also be used strategically to avoid winning a trick. This option allows players to manage their bids by controlling the tricks they win.
• Intentional Laydown: If a player holds the highest card in the declared suit or a winning trump card and wants to avoid winning an unwanted trick, they may choose to play the Joker instead of their winning card. This "laydown" Joker forfeits its ability to win the trick, helping the player meet their exact bid.
• Laying Down the Joker When Leading:
  • When the player who starts a trick leads with the Joker and chooses to lay it down, they declare a suit for the trick but indicate that they are not playing the Joker as a winning card. This laid-down Joker does not act as a trump or automatic win.
  • Other Players’ Responses:
    • Players with the declared suit must play their highest card in that suit.
    • Players who do not have the declared suit but have a trump card must play a trump, with the highest trump winning the trick.
    • If no trump cards are played, the highest card in the declared suit wins the trick.
    • If no player has the declared suit or a trump card, the laid-down Joker wins by default.

Scoring

Basic Scoring for Meeting Bids

• Players score points based on their bid:
  • 0 Tricks (bid of zero): 50 points.
  • 1 Trick: 100 points.
  • 2 Tricks: 150 points, with 50 points added for each additional trick if the bid is met exactly.

Over- or Under-Bidding

• If a player wins more or fewer tricks than their bid, they score 10 points per trick actually taken.

Penalty for No Tricks on a Non-Zero Bid

• If a player bids one or more tricks and takes none, they incur a penalty. In rounds 1-8, this penalty is typically 200 points, while in 9-card rounds, it is 300 points. Penalties may be increased if agreed upon by players at the start of the game.

Full Bid Bonus for Taking All Tricks

• If a player bids to take all tricks in a round and succeeds, they earn a bonus equal to the number of cards dealt × 100 points (e.g., 4 cards = 400 points).

Checkpoint Bonus for Consistency

• Players who meet their bid exactly in every round within a phase earn a bonus, doubling their highest score in that checkpoint.
• They may also erase other players’ highest scores in the checkpoint, except when two or more players achieve the bonus. In such cases, each player doubles their highest score without affecting others.

Winning the Game

After all rounds, players tally their scores across phases. The player with the highest total score wins the game.