BONKEN: An Exciting Dutch Trick-Taking Game

Let me introduce you to Bonken, an exhilarating Dutch card game that will captivate you over eleven intense rounds. Bonken combines various elements from beloved games like Hearts, Spades, Euchre, and Rummy, creating a truly unique and unforgettable gaming experience.

THE CARDS & THE DEAL: Setting the Stage

To play Bonken, you’ll need a standard 52-card French deck. Everyone participating in the game should draw a card from the deck to determine the first dealer and the scorekeeper. The player with the lowest card takes on the role of the first dealer and remains in charge of keeping score throughout the game.

Once the first dealer has been established, they collect the deck, give it a good shuffle, and meticulously deal thirteen cards to each player. The stage is set, and the game is ready to begin.

THE PLAY: Unleashing the Fun

Bonken is a game that lasts for eleven rounds. The first seven rounds are called contracts and each of them has specific rules. The rounds from the 8th to the 11th are more like traditional trick-taking rounds, where each player has a chance to choose the trump suit.

After the cards are dealt and we all have a look at our hands, the player sitting opposite the dealer gets to choose which contract we will play. It’s important to note that each contract can only be played once. So, we have to complete contracts 1 to 7 before we can move on to contracts 8 to 11.

When we play a trick-taking contract, the player to the left of the dealer gets to lead the first trick. The other players have to play a card of the same suit if they have one. If they don’t, they can play any card they want. The trick is won by the player who plays the highest card in the suit that was led.

Now let’s talk about the contracts themselves. We have seven contracts to choose from in rounds 1 to 7. These contracts have different rules and objectives. They add an interesting twist to the game and make it more challenging.

In this game, my goal is to capture as few tricks as possible. Each trick I manage to capture, however, costs me 5 points from my overall score. So, the fewer tricks I take, the better off I’ll be.

But there’s more to this game than just avoiding tricks. I also need to steer clear of capturing certain cards in those tricks. First, I want to avoid capturing any hearts. Hearts can’t be played unless I don’t have cards in any other suit. If I do end up capturing heart cards, it’s going to cost me 5 points per card. Ouch!

Next up, I want to keep away from those sneaky Kings and Jacks. Capturing a King will set me back by a whopping 20 points, while capturing a Jack means I lose 10 points. I definitely don’t want those in my trick collection.

Then there are the Queens. Each Queen I manage to capture is going to cost me 30 points. So, it’s best to stay clear of those as well.

Oh, and let me not forget about the King of Hearts. That little guy is trouble. Not only do I want to avoid capturing it, but Hearts also can’t be led in any trick. If, by chance, I end up with the King of Hearts, it’s going to cost me a whopping 50 points. Double ouch!

Lastly, there’s a little catch with the last trick. The player who ends up taking it loses a hefty 50 points from their score. So, I definitely want to avoid being the one stuck with that final trick in my hands.

So here’s the deal. In this game, we’re all about getting rid of our cards. The goal is to create rows of cards that all have the same suit. Simple enough, right?

Now, let’s start with the basics. The player to the left of the dealer is up first. If they have an 8, they better play it. If not, the turn moves on to the next player. Easy peasy.

If an 8 does hit the table, things get interesting. From there, we can play the next highest or the next lowest number in that same suit. Oh, and if we have another 8 in our hand, we can totally play that too. It’s all about options, my friend.

But what if we can’t add a card to the rows or play an 8? Well, in that case, we have to pass our turn. Simple as that.

Now, here’s the real kicker. The player who’s left with cards at the end? Yeah, they lose a whopping 50 points from their score. Tough luck, huh?

Now, Let’s Talk About Rounds 8-11

In the last four rounds, each of us will have a turn to deal the cards. After dealing, the player seated across from the dealer makes the call on which suit should be the trump suit, or they can decide to play with no trumps. You can only choose each option once. If the no trumps option is chosen, the trick is won by the player who has the highest card in the suit that was led. And remember, if possible, players must follow suit.

During these final rounds, our goal is to capture as many tricks as we can. Each trick we take will earn us 10 points.

WINNING

The player who has the highest score when the game ends will be the winner. So, aim to score as many points as you can!

The player who has the highest score when the game ends will be the winner. So, aim to score as many points as you can!