Battle Whist

Contributed by Jay.I.Sharn (naji@dircon.co.uk)

Players:

This game is meant for 4 players with 52 card pack,

Choosing the dealer:

Before the cards are dealt each player takes a card from anywhere in the pack. Everyone shows their card and the person with the highest value card is the dealer. If two people pick the highest card (for example 2 Aces), the person who has the better suit becomes the dealer. The Order of suits is as follows:

Clubs(Highest) , Spades , Diamonds , Hearts(Lowest)

The cards are then put at the bottom of the pack.

Dealing:

The dealer shuffles the pack, then he gives 8 cards to each player (face down) including himself. From the 20 cards remaining four cards are put in a pile which I shall call the DECIDING PILE. Eight of the cards are put in a pile called PILE A, the other 8 cards are put in Pile B. All three piles are placed in the centre of the table with the DECIDING PILE next to Pile A and Pile A is put next to pile B. (Remember no one sees their cards until the dealer has randomly chosen what suit is to be trumps.)

Card Values and Trumps in game:

An Ace is worth 11, the Royal Cards (King, Queen, Jack) are worth 10 each. The other cards are worth their pip value (for example the 7 of hearts is worth 7). In this game trumps are chosen by the dealer before he sees his cards. The dealer may opt to have no trumps during a game.

Part 1 of playing the game:

The dealer starts by taking a card from either Pile A or Pile B. Then the dealer must put one of his cards in a new pile called the DISCARD PILE in which the cards are face up so distinguishing it from the other piles. After the dealer has taken and discarded a card play goes to the person on the dealer's left, who takes and discards a card. This then goes on till every one has had 3 goes (REMEMBER You try to get high cards and rid of low value cards and you can't skip your turn)

Part 2 of the playing Game:

This is where the DECIDING PILE comes into play. Each player starting with the dealer takes a card from the DECIDING PILE. Excluding the dealer, the person with the card of highest value (if two or three people get a card of the same rank the suit rating system is used) gets to "Declare War" with the dealer.

Part 3 of the game (Declaring and playing the War):

The dealer's opponent (the person who got the highest card in Part 2) says "BOOM BOOM, I DECLARE WAR ". The dealer puts down 2 Cards and so does the opponent, the dealer totals his cards and so does the opponent whoever has the highest total wins the trick and gets the trick. (If the totals are equal each player scores half a trick.) This is repeated three more times. The dealer finds out how many tricks he won; the opponent does too. Whoever won most tricks won the game. (If both players won an equal amount of tricks nobody wins the game.)

Part 4:

The cards are all collected up shuffled by anyone then the game is played just as in the previous game. The first person to win 3 games shouts "BOOM BOOM" and wins the Battle (Whole Game).

Sequence of game:

1. Anyone shuffles cards
2. Choose Dealer
3. Part 1
4. Part 2
5. Part 3
6. Back to start

Possible Variations of game

1. The amount of games that has to be won
2. If the dealer is allowed to declare No trumps for a game
3. If there is 2 piles which one can choose cards from or just 1 during Part 1 of the game