GONG ZHU

Hey there! Let me tell you about Gong Zhu, a really cool card game that’s quite similar to Hearts. It’s a game that can be played by 4 to 5 players, and if there are 4 players, you can even have partners. How fun is that?

The aim of Gong Zhu is simple – you don’t want to end up with a score of negative 1000. If you do, uh-oh, you’re the “pig”! And guess what? The pig usually has to do something embarrassing or wear something silly to show that they lost the game. Hilarious, right?

SETUP

To start a game with 5 players, you’ll need to remove the 2 of clubs and diamonds. However, if you have 4 players, no cards need to be removed. Now, to decide who gets to be the dealer, everyone takes a random turn and passes it on to the person on their left after every hand. Once the dealer is chosen, they shuffle the deck and deal the cards to each player one by one, going clockwise. And now we’re ready to begin!

Card Rankings and Values

When it comes to Gong Zhu, the cards are Ranked in a traditional way. The highest card is the Aces, followed by the King, Queen, Jack, and then 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and finally 2, which is the lowest. In this game, there are no trumps, which means there is no suit that is higher than any other.

Did you know that certain cards in the game have special values? Let me tell you about them. The Queen of Spades is a tricky one – if you win it, you actually lose 100 points. Ouch! Then we have the ace of hearts, which is worth -50 points. Not too great either. The King of hearts follows closely at -40 points, while the queen of hearts is worth -30 points. The Jack of hearts is not as bad, with a value of -20 points. Now let’s talk about the 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, and 5 of hearts. They’re not exactly good news either, as they are all worth -10 points. Lastly, the 4, 3, and 2 of hearts don’t hold any value – they’re worth nothing. But wait, that’s not all. Some cards have different values depending on the circumstances. For example, the jack of diamonds is worth a cool +100 points. Pretty nice, right? Now, here’s the interesting part. The 10 of clubs can change its value depending on what happens. If it’s the only card you win that’s worth points, it’s worth +50 points. But if you also win other scoring cards, then the 10 of clubs is worth nothing, nada. However, it doubles the value of all the other cards you’ve won. So it can be a game-changer. And now, for the grand finale – if you manage to win all the hearts, you score an impressive +200 points. But if you also win the queen of spades along with the hearts, then you hit the jackpot with +300 points. So, keep these card values in mind and make your moves wisely!

GAME TIME!

When it comes to getting down to the nitty-gritty of gameplay, here’s the deal: the gameplay is pretty standard for a trick-taking game. I mean, we’re talking classic moves here. So, grab your 2 of hearts, because that’s the card that kickstarts the whole shebang. It’s your ticket to becoming the bearer of great power in the game.

Now, listen up, because this is where it gets really interesting. In future hands, the player who had the audacity to snatch up the queen of spades in the previous round gets to be the one to start the show. Talk about a VIP treatment!

Alright, let’s dive into the actual gameplay. It all starts with a player leading any card they please. Total freedom, baby! But here’s the deal: all the other players have to follow suit if they have a card of the same suit. It’s like they’re bound by an unspoken code, you know?

But wait! There’s a little loophole. If a player doesn’t have a card of the same suit, they can pull off a sneaky move and play any card they want. It’s a bit risky, but it just might pay off, if you catch my drift.

Let me break it down for you. The player who’s got the highest-ranked card in the suit that was led wins the trick. Simple as that. Oh, and get this: whoever wins the trick gets to lead the next one. It’s like passing on the torch, but with cards.

Now, let’s talk about the spoils of victory. When a player snags some cards during a trick, any cards that are actually worth some points get to be displayed with pride, face up, for all to see. The other cards that aren’t so lucky end up in a hidden pile, face-down, right next to the player. Gotta keep things organized and mysterious, you know?

SHOW ‘EM WHAT YOU’VE GOT!

When I play the game, I have the option to expose certain cards before the game begins. If I choose to do so, it can give me some advantages. Let’s say I have the Ace of hearts, Queen of Spades, Jack of diamonds, and 10 of clubs in my hand. If I expose the Ace of hearts, it will make all hearts worth double points, even if I manage to score all the hearts. The Queen of Spades will double its own point value, and the Jack of diamonds will also have its value doubled. If I expose the 10 of clubs, it will either quadruple the value of applicable cards or give me an extra 100 points.

However, there are a few rules to keep in mind when I expose a card. I cannot use the exposed card in the first trick unless it’s the only playable option. And if I’m the first player to lead the suit of my exposed card, I have to wait until it’s my only choice to play that card.

SCORING

Once all the tricks are won, it’s time to calculate the scores. The scores are kept running over several hands throughout the game.

THE GAME IS OVER!

Oh boy, oh boy! Guess what? The game is coming to an end! Can you believe it? Just imagine, you’re so close to victory, yet at the same time, you could end up in a not-so-great situation. Woah, the anticipation is killing me!

Alright, let’s break it down. When a player reaches negative 1000 points, that’s when things wrap up. Yup, that unfortunate soul becomes the “pig” of the game. And let me tell you, being the pig is no walk in the park. It’s embarrassing, to say the least.

So, that’s the deal. The game concludes when someone hits that negative 1000 point mark. And let’s just hope it’s not you. Good luck, my friend!