ALKORT
Alkort is an ancient card game from Iceland that has been enjoyed for many years. There are two versions of the game – one for two players and another for four players with two teams. I will explain the four-player version, but the rules are mostly the same for the two-player game, except for the absence of partners.
Alkort is a game where you try to win tricks and earn points. The goal is to win at least five tricks, and the more tricks you win in a row, the higher your score will be. Winning the first five tricks or winning more than five in a row will earn you extra points.
SETUP
To set up the game, you need a deck of 52 cards. However, for Alkort, you will remove all the 10s and 5s, leaving you with a deck of 44 cards. Shuffle the deck and then cut it. Now, you are ready to start dealing. The dealer will distribute the cards in batches of three, giving each player a total of nine cards. The dealing goes in a clockwise direction starting from the dealer.
So, here’s how the game works: I take the remaining cards and put them face down in a stockpile. There should be 8 cards in there. Now, let’s talk about rankings. Alkort has a unique system for ranking cards. It might seem a bit confusing at first, but don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it after a few games.
The highest-ranking card in Alkort is the king of diamonds, unless a trick is led by a 7. In that case, the 7 becomes the highest-ranking card. After the king of diamonds (or 7), we have the 2 of hearts, the 4 of clubs, the 8 of spades, the 9 of hearts, and the 9 of diamonds. Then we move on to the Aces, jacks, 6s, and finally, the 8s (except for the 8 of spades).
As I dig into the world of card games, I discover that not all cards are created equal. Some have a special ranking, while others are considered useless. It’s fascinating how this hierarchy adds an element of strategy and surprise to the game.
Let’s start with the useless cards. They may seem unimportant at first, but they have their moment to shine. When all other cards are not ranked, leading a trick with a useless card gives you the upper hand – you emerge as the winner of that trick. It’s like a secret weapon hiding in plain sight. However, there is an exception to this rule for kings (except the king of diamonds) and queens. If you lead a trick with a king and no other ranked cards are played, it can be beaten by a humble 2. Similarly, a queen can be surpassed by a 2 or a 3 if no ranked cards enter the game.
Now, let me introduce you to the remarkable 7s. These special cards hold a unique power when it comes to leading a trick. No other card can outshine them in this role. They reign supreme! However, their power is limited – they are useless when played at any other time. But here’s the catch: you cannot wield the power of a 7 to lead a trick until you have tasted the victory of winning a trick before.
GAMEPLAY
Hey there! So, here’s how the game works. First off, when the game begins, we all show our highest-ranking card. Then, the player to the left of the dealer starts the game. But here’s the twist: instead of playing in the usual order of who wins the trick, we play in a clockwise direction.
Now, let’s talk strategy. When it’s your turn, you can lead with any card you want, and you don’t have to match the suit or try to win the trick. The goal is simple: you want to play the highest-ranking card to win the trick.
But what happens if two players play cards of the same rank? Well, in that case, the one who played their card first gets the trick. So, timing is everything!
Now, let’s dive into scoring. This is important because, at the end of the game, it determines the winner. Are you ready? Here we go!
When the round is over, I score points if I’m one of the winners. If I’m playing with a partner (or on my own in a 2-player game) and we reach 5 won tricks before the other team, we win. If we manage to win the first 5 tricks, we score 5 points right off the bat. But if we keep going and win more than 5 tricks in a row before the other team can win one, we earn points equal to the number of tricks we’ve won. So, for example, if we win 6 tricks in a row, we get 6 points. However, if we only manage to win 5 tricks, but not in order or not as the first 5, we still get 1 point. It’s a bit tricky, but that’s how the scoring works.
END OF GAME
The game comes to an end when we reach a settled score. So, once one of the teams reaches a predetermined number of points, that’s it – game over. It’s a race to that score, so make each trick count!
The game comes to an end when we reach a settled score. So, once one of the teams reaches a predetermined number of points, that’s it – game over. It’s a race to that score, so make each trick count!