High 14 – A Unique Trick-Taking Game

Welcome to High 14, a trick-taking game designed for 3 – 6 players! What sets High 14 apart is its use of a special 56-card Rook deck. In this game, all the 14’s outrank every other number, including those in the trump color. Surprisingly, 14’s don’t count for anything in terms of points. Instead, you’ll earn points for capturing tricks and for collecting 5’s and 10’s.

The original creator, George Parker, suggests that when playing with four players, it’s best to form teams. So, gather your friends and let’s dive into the world of High 14!

Gearing Up: The Cards & The Deal

To get started, grab a Rook deck and remove the 20 point Rook card – we won’t be needing that in this game. Next, the dealer will cut the deck to determine the trump color for the current round.

Once the trump color is decided, shuffle the deck and deal out all of the cards evenly amongst the players. If you’re playing with three or six players, the last two cards will be dealt face down to the center of the table. Keep in mind that these cards will be captured along with the first trick.

The Exciting Gameplay

THE FIRST TRICK

When it’s my turn to play, I can choose any card to start the trick. The other players have to follow the color of the card that I played, if they can. If they don’t have a matching color, they can play any card. But there’s also a special card called a 14 that can be played at any time, regardless of the color.

In the end, the highest-ranking card of the same color as the one I played, or a high-ranking trump card, or a 14, wins the trick. The person who wins the trick gets to start the next one.

CARD VALUE

A 14 is the most powerful card in the game. It’s even more powerful than the trump cards. If multiple 14s are played in a trick, the one that matches the color of the first card played wins. If no matching 14 is played, then the first 14 played wins the trick.

Let me give you an example of how the game works. I’ll call the players Player 1, Player 2, and Player 3.

In this scenario, Player 1 starts the trick by playing a red 4. Then, Player 2 plays a yellow 14. Finally, Player 3 plays a red 14. Now, the trick is captured by the red 14 because it matches the color of the lead card.

But if Player 3 played a green 14 instead, it would be Player 2 who captures the trick because they played the 14 first.

Now, let’s talk about the trump color. When it comes to 14s, the trump color doesn’t make any difference. A trump-colored 14 doesn’t have a higher rank than any other 14. So, remember that!

After all the tricks have been played, it’s time to calculate the score for the round. Every trick you capture earns you 5 points. Additionally, you get 5 points for every 5 card you capture and 10 points for every 10 card you capture.

Keep playing rounds until one player reaches 250 points. That player will be the winner of the game!