Welcome to Democracy!

In Democracy, a game for 2 to 6 players, we put a unique twist on the classic trick-taking genre. How, you ask? Well, here’s the catch: in this game, you play your cards face down onto tricks. Intriguing, isn’t it?

So, what’s the name of the game? Simple: score enough points to secure victory. Typically, you’ll need around 5 to 10 points, but that number will be set before we even begin.

Democracy has a lot in common with other trick-taking games. You’ll be dealt cards with different values and your objective is to win tricks to collect points at the end of each round. It’s a classic formula, with a fresh and exciting twist!

Getting Started

Let’s talk setup. The first dealer is chosen randomly, and for each new round, the dealer position will rotate to the left. Now, we need to modify the deck a bit. No matter how many players we have, we’ll take out all the 2s from the deck. If we’re playing with 2, 3, or 5 players, this modified deck will be sufficient. However, if we have 4 players, we’ll add 2 jokers to the mix. And finally, if there are 6 players, we’ll only add one joker to the deck.

When I’m ready to start playing, the dealer will shuffle the deck. They’ll divide the deck into two parts and distribute the cards to the players and the center of the table. The number of cards each player receives depends on how many players are participating. Let me break it down for you:

– For a game with 2 players, each player gets 8 cards for both parts of the game. The center also receives 8 cards in each round.

– In a three-player game, everyone gets a 6-card hand, including the center.

– When there are 4 players, each player gets a 5-card hand, and the center gets the same.

– For 5 players, each player is dealt a 4-card hand, as is the center.

– And finally, in a game with 6 players, each player gets a 3-card hand, and the center receives the same number of cards.

Keep in mind that in a 6-player game, there will always be 7 cards left undealt for each round.

Ranking and Values of the Cards

Let’s talk about how cards are ranked in the game. We start with the highest rank, which is 5, followed by 4, 3, Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, and 6 as the lowest rank.

Jokers are special cards because they can be used as any rank, except trumps. This means they can act like any other card in the game, which gives them a lot of power. You’ll learn more about this in the Gameplay section.

Aside from ranks, cards also have values. Here’s the breakdown:

• 5s are worth 5 points.
• 4s are worth 4 points.
• 3s and Aces are worth 3 points.
• Kings, Queens, and Jacks are worth 2 points.
• 10s, 9s, 8s, and 7s are worth 1 point.
• 6s and jokers are worth 0 points.

Ready to Play?

So here’s how it goes: we all get our first hand of cards, and then the dealer turns over the top card of the central hand. This card is what we call the “trumps” for the trick. Now, if it happens to be a joker, well then, there are no trumps for that trick, simple as that. But if it’s not a joker, then it’s game on! Each of us gets to choose any card from our hand and place it facedown in front of us. Now, here’s the thing: you don’t have to try and win the trick if you don’t want to. There’s no pressure to follow suit or play trumps. It’s totally up to you, my friend. It’s a game of choice, and we’re all here to have a good time. So let’s get those cards on the table and see what happens!

So, here’s the deal. Once we all have our cards in front of us, the dealer gives us the green light to flip them over. We all do it at the same time, and then we compare our cards to see who’s got the winning hand.

Now, here’s the nitty-gritty. The winner is the one with the highest trump card, if there is one. If there’s no trump card, then it comes down to who has the highest-ranked card, no matter what suit it is. But wait, there’s a twist. If both players play a 6 and a 5 of trumps, the player with the 6 wins, got it?

Alright, let me break it down for you. The player who wins the trick gets to collect all the cards, including the central one that we all flipped over. They put them in a pile, face down, next to them. That’s how we keep score.

If there’s a tie, things get a little tricky. We all keep our cards for scoring, but the rest of the cards, including the central one, don’t count for any points. Bummer, right?

If you’re a fan of playing cards, you probably know that jokers can be quite interesting. They have some special rules that make them different from the other cards. Let me break it down for you.

So, when we’re playing a trick-taking game and jokers are allowed, they can be any non-trump card. What does that mean? Well, in a trick, if someone plays a trump card, the joker loses. However, if no trumps are played, the joker wins! There is one exception though – if a 5 or another joker is played, then the trick is tied.

Now, once the cards from the first part of the game are played, we move on to the second deal. The game continues just like before, with the same rules for the joker.

Now, let’s talk about scoring.

After both parts of the game are completed, it’s time for scoring. Each player will count up the points in their score piles. In each deal, there are a total of 25 points up for grabs. So, if a player has 13 or more points, they’ve won the round and score a game point. And if you manage to win all the points in a game, that’s a big achievement – you earn 2 game points!

Now, here’s an interesting twist – multiple players can score a game point if the cards are not evenly divided among them. But, if all players score the same number of points, then no one receives a game point. It’s all or nothing!

GAME OVER

If you’re the first person to get the required number of points, congratulations! You’re the winner!

Remember, the goal of the game is to be the first player to reach the necessary number of points. So, keep playing and striving towards victory!