Sergeant Major: Instructions
Sgt. Major is a card game for 3 players. It is played with a pack of 52 cards. The aim of the game is to score as many points as possible.
Each player is dealt 16 cards at the beginning of the game. The remaining 4 cards form a kitty. A different player can name the trump suit in each round. The player then picks up the cards in the kitty and discards any 4 cards.
Play now begins, and proceeds clockwise. The player who named the trump suit begins. Following suit is the only requirement. If a player has no card of that suit, he/she can play any card. The trick is won either by the highest trump card or, if no trump card was played, by the highest card with the same suit as the card which led. Whoever takes the trick is the next to lead.
The aim is to win the minimum target amount of tricks. The player who named the trump suit must win 8 tricks. The next player needs 5 and the last player needs 3.
A player who reaches his/her target is said to be "up", otherwise he/she is "down" by the number of tricks exceeding or short of the target respectively.
Subsequent rounds begin with an exchange of cards before the trump suit is named. A player who is "up" gives one card per overtrick to a player who is "down". This player gives back the highest card of that suit. A player who has no cards of that suit simply gives back the same card. If 2 players are "up", the player who needs to reach the higher target in the next round begins the exchange. If a player who is "down" takes a card from the kitty which is higher than the suit card already given to the "up" player, then this card must be shown to the "up" player.
The game is over as soon as a player reaches 5 points. The player to do this is the winner.
Points
A player is awarded one point for reaching his/her goal – 8, 5 or 3 tricks.
Each player is dealt 16 cards at the beginning of the game. The remaining 4 cards form a kitty. A different player can name the trump suit in each round. The player then picks up the cards in the kitty and discards any 4 cards.
Play now begins, and proceeds clockwise. The player who named the trump suit begins. Following suit is the only requirement. If a player has no card of that suit, he/she can play any card. The trick is won either by the highest trump card or, if no trump card was played, by the highest card with the same suit as the card which led. Whoever takes the trick is the next to lead.
The aim is to win the minimum target amount of tricks. The player who named the trump suit must win 8 tricks. The next player needs 5 and the last player needs 3.
A player who reaches his/her target is said to be "up", otherwise he/she is "down" by the number of tricks exceeding or short of the target respectively.
Subsequent rounds begin with an exchange of cards before the trump suit is named. A player who is "up" gives one card per overtrick to a player who is "down". This player gives back the highest card of that suit. A player who has no cards of that suit simply gives back the same card. If 2 players are "up", the player who needs to reach the higher target in the next round begins the exchange. If a player who is "down" takes a card from the kitty which is higher than the suit card already given to the "up" player, then this card must be shown to the "up" player.
The game is over as soon as a player reaches 5 points. The player to do this is the winner.
Points
A player is awarded one point for reaching his/her goal – 8, 5 or 3 tricks.
