Invented by Howard Fosdick © BestFreeNewGames.com
Overview: Here's a card game for two in which players score through both trick-taking and melds. Competitors face tension between the two scoring strategies as they try to optimise their hands.
This is our own unique, enhanced version of Bezique, which has fascinated card players since the 1850s.
What's fun about this game is that it exhibits a lifecycle. At various times your ability to meld waxes and wanes, and it's up to you to manage this optimally. Through it all, you face the constant trade-off between scoring for melds versus quick points for winning Aces and 10s in tricks.
Equipment: Two players use two French decks. These are two sets of cards from Aces down to 7's, for a total of 64 cards. You can make this deck simply by taking two standard 52-card decks and removing all cards below 7's, as well as any Jokers.
Cards Rank: A, 10, K, Q, J, 9, 8, 7. Note that the 10 is the second-highest card, ranking right below the Ace.
Objective: To win a deal or hand by scoring the most points. To win Game by being first to score at least 800 points across deals.
Deal: Deal alternates between players. Deal each player 8 cards face down to start. The remaining cards become the drawing stock. Dealer turns up one card and places it next to the drawing stock. The suit of this card dictates the trump suit for the hand.
Play: The non-dealer leads any card to the first trick.
The procedure of play now will be:
Melds: After winning a trick, the trick winner may declare one meld if he so chooses -- before he draws a card from the drawing stock.
Melds score as follows:
Meld: |
Called: |
Points: |
Any 4 Aces |
100 points | |
Any 4 Kings |
80 points | |
Any 4 Queens |
60 points | |
Any 4 Jacks |
40 points | |
King and Queen of Trump Suit |
Royal Marriage | 40 points |
King and Queen of any non-Trump Suit |
Common Marriage | 20 points |
Queen of Spades and Jack of Diamonds |
Zique | 50 points |
Both Queens of Spades and Both Jacks of Diamonds |
Royal Zique | 350 points |
Ace-10-King-Queen-Jack of Trump Suit |
Royal Sequence | 250 points |
Ace-10-King-Queen-Jack of any non-Trump Suit |
Common Sequence | 150 points |
When a player melds cards, he places them face up on the table before him. The dealer immediately records this score.
As play and trick-taking continue, the exposed cards remain face up in front of that player. They are treated just the same as the hidden portion of the player's hand. The player may play them to tricks, or not, as he desires.
Multiple Melds for a Card: A single card may score in more than one meld -- but only when those melds are of different kinds. Each meld scored requires that the player first win a trick before declaring it.
Example: You score a marriage with a King and Queen of Hearts. Leaving the suitable card(s) face up in front of you, you could then use either of these cards in either a four-of-a-kind meld, or a sequence meld. But you could not use either in another marriage.
Of course, those subsequent melds require that you add the cards to complete them. And, you must first win a trick prior to scoring each subsequent meld.
Example: You score for a zique with a Queen of Spades and Jack of Diamonds. You leave them face up on the table before you. You then acquire another Queen of Spades and Jack of Diamonds. You can score a second zique with this second set of cards after you win another trick. Then after you win a third trick, you could score a royal zique for all four cards together.
However, you could not switch either Queen of Spades to pair it a second time with the opposite Jack of Diamonds for further ziques. Any card may participate in only one scoring meld of each kind.
Closing: After the last two cards are taken up from the drawing stock, the hand is said to be "Closed".
Both players now take up any exposed cards (from melds) they have upon the table, and place them back into their hidden hands.
Now the rules of trick-taking change:
Players may continue to score melds after the Close if able.
Scoring for Brisques: After the hand ends, each player counts all Aces and 10s in his pile of trick winnings. These are called Brisques. Each scores 10 points.
Whoever wins the last trick of the hand also wins 10 points.
Scoring summary:
Action: |
Called: |
Points: |
Any 4 Aces |
100 points | |
Any 4 Kings |
80 points | |
Any 4 Queens |
60 points | |
Any 4 Jacks |
40 points | |
King and Queen of Trump Suit |
Royal Marriage | 40 points |
King and Queen of any non-Trump Suit |
Common Marriage | 20 points |
Queen of Spades and Jack of Diamonds |
Zique | 50 points |
Both Queens of Spades and Both Jacks of Diamonds |
Royal Zique | 350 points |
Ace-10-King-Queen-Jack of Trump Suit |
Royal Sequence | 250 points |
Ace-10-King-Queen-Jack of any non-Trump Suit |
Common Sequence | 150 points |
Each Ace or 10 won in tricks |
Brisque | 10 points |
Winning the last trick in the hand |
Finale | 10 points |
Advanced Rules only -- 7 of trumps displayed |
Dix | 10 points |
-----------------------------------
Playing Tips:
The beauty of this game is its life cycle. The feel of the game ebbs and flows as players collect and then disgorge meld cards from their hands.
Trade-offs are central to its challenge. You'll often find you have a choice whether to pursue meld points or trick-taking points. Successfully navigating this trade-off is key. It's not unusual that one player scores most of his or her points through melds, while the opponent takes most the brisques. So if you can neutralise your opponents advantage in one area, you can win through your advantage in the other.
Perhaps a more important choice is which cards to try to meld. Carefully consider the odds of scoring for any particular meld, then model your behaviour accordingly. Clever players leave open the possibilities for more than a single meld at any one time, and also adjust their melding goals as more cards become known during the hand.
Of course, big meld scores with four-of-a-kind, the trump and non-trump sequences, and the royal zique can ensure you win a hand. Nevertheless, the player who carefully tracks cards and optimises lesser scores for marriages and brisques can still win any deal.
Be sure to "cross play" any card to more than a single meld when possible. For example, score a Queen in a marriage and then a zique. Or score for a marriage, then re-use those same cards in a royal or common sequence. Remember, you have to win a separate trick prior to each declaration, so hoard your trick-winners accordingly.
Dix: The 7 of trumps is called "the dix". There are two dix in every hand. Each dix scores 10 points for one player one time during the hand.
Should the dealer's turn up be a dix at the start of play, he immediately scores 10 points for that dix. That ends scoring for that particular dix.
If no one has yet scored 10 points for a particular dix, the player who has it in hand merely need show it to his opponent to score 10 points for it. He may show this card at any time, and is not required to win a trick beforehand to do so.
Dix Exchange: When a player has a dix in hand, he may exchange it for the original turn-up card at any time. (He does not have to win a trick to do so.)
For a Longer Game: Play to 1,600 points instead of 800.
Zique derives from the traditional game, Bezique. It features few different rules, yet we feel they improve the game: