TUXEDO

Hey there! Let me tell you about a cool card game called Tuxedo. It was created by George Parker a long time ago, in the early 20th century. The game is all about using your cards and your smarts to capture as many cards as you can from the center. Exciting, right?

THE CARDS & THE DEAL

First things first, Tuxedo uses a special deck called the Rook deck. This deck has 56 cards, but it doesn’t include the 20-point Rook card. So make sure that one is left out! Next, we shuffle the deck and deal four cards to each player. Plus, we also deal four cards face up in the center. Got it so far? Great!

THE PLAY

Now, let’s talk about how the game works. The player sitting to the left of the dealer gets to go first. They can choose one card from their hand and try to capture as many cards as they can from the center. And there are a few different ways to capture cards, so listen up!

MATCH THE NUMBER

When I’m playing, I can snatch a card if it matches the number on one of the cards in my hand. For instance, if there’s a 9 face up and I have a 9 in my hand, I show the card and take both 9s out of the center. Those cards go to the side as a “trick”.

GET THE TOTAL RIGHT

If I want to, I can take more than one card from the center by using a card that adds up to the total of two or more cards in the center. So, if I have a 9 in my hand, I can use it to capture a 5 and a 4, or a 5, 3, and 1. All I have to do is show the card and remove the cards from the center that add up to the right total. Those cards go with my “trick”.

DO A COOL MOVE

When it’s my turn, I want to capture as many cards as I can. So let’s say I have a 9 and there’s a 9, 5, and 4 in the center of the table. I can grab all three cards and make them part of my “trick”.

Get ready for some exciting card game terminology!

Imagine this: you’re playing a thrilling card game, and suddenly, you clear the entire table by capturing four or more cards. That, my friend, is what we call a Big Sweep. It’s like a grand slam in baseball – an impressive feat that leaves you feeling victorious.

But wait, there’s more! Have you ever cleared the table with just three or fewer cards? Well, that’s what we call a Little Sweep. It may not be as grand as a Big Sweep, but it’s still a remarkable achievement.

Now, here’s a special move you need to know. If you happen to capture both a red and a yellow card simultaneously, it’s time to shout out orange! By doing this, you earn an extra 10 points! But beware, if you forget to call out orange, and someone else beats you to it, they get the points instead. So keep your wits about you and claim those extra points for yourself!

Lastly, let’s talk about Building. When it comes to card games, building refers to creating a strategic combination of cards. It’s like constructing a solid foundation for your victory. So, as you play, think about how each card you capture contributes to your overall strategy. With a well-executed building technique, you can elevate your game to a whole new level.

When it’s my turn in the game, I can choose to do something different instead of taking cards. Instead of capturing, I have the option to build. Let’s say I have a 9 and a 5 in my hand, and there’s a 4 on the table. I can put my 5 on top of the 4 and show the corners of the card, which means I declare that I have a total of 9 in my hand. Then, on my next turn, I can play my 9 and take all the cards that are on the table. But here’s the thing – someone else might jump in and capture those cards before I get the chance. Or maybe they’ll keep building up the pile to make it work better for them.

If I can’t capture any cards on my turn, I have to do something else. I take one card from my hand and put it face up in the middle of the table. This card becomes available for other players to grab and use.

When I run out of cards, I get dealt four more. The dealer never deals cards to the center. If it’s my turn and there are no available cards to capture, I have to choose one card from my hand and play it to the center. Then the next player will have the chance to capture that card.

HERE’S THE FINAL DEAL

On the final deal, there might not be enough cards to give each player four. So we deal out as many cards as possible evenly, and then we add the leftover cards to the center for capturing. We keep playing until all the cards are captured or until all the players run out of cards in their hand.

LET’S TALLY UP THE SCORE

The player who captures the most cards earns 15 points. If there’s a tie, each player gets 5 points.

If I correctly call an ‘orange,’ I earn 10 points.

A Big Sweep earns me 10 points.

A Little Sweep earns me 5 points.

If you collect enough 5’s, you’ll earn 5 points for each one.

The Path to Victory

The ultimate goal is to be the first player to reach 100 points.

You have to think strategically and make the right moves to win the game.