The Amazing Game of La Poule

La Poule is a super fun game that can be played by 4 people. The main objective of the game is for your team to reach 200 points before anyone else and become the ultimate champions.

You will split into two teams, and each team will have two players. Your partner will be sitting right across from you.

Setting Up the Game

Before we dive into the game, let’s get everything ready. First, we need to remove all the cards with numbers 6 and below from the deck. This means that we’ll be playing with a deck of 32 cards.

Now, it’s time to decide who will be the first dealer. You can choose randomly, but remember, the dealer will change in every new round, and the rotation is to the left.

Once the deck is all set, the dealer will shuffle the cards and deal 8 cards to each player, going clockwise. This is a crucial moment, so make sure to check your cards right away. If you happen to receive all four 7s in your hand, you’ll automatically win the game!

Understanding the Card Rankings and Values

In the card game La Poule, the ranking of cards goes as follows: 10 is the highest, followed by 9, Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 8, and 7 as the lowest. There are no trumps in this game, making it a bit different from others.

Some cards in La Poule have specific scoring values. Aces score 1 point, while 10s, 9s, Kings, Queens, and Jacks each score 1/3 of a point. On the other hand, 8s and 7s are worthless in terms of scoring. Finally, the last trick played in a round is worth 1 point.

Each round of La Poule has a total of 11 points, and any fractional points are ignored.

GAMEPLAY

Playing La Poule is a breeze. Just like other trick-taking games, it’s all about taking the lead and following suit. The game begins with the person to the left of the dealer, and then it continues clockwise.

When starting a trick, the first player sets the tone by playing a card. The other players must follow suit if they have a card of the same suit. If they don’t, they can play any card they want.

When I’m playing a card game, I want to know the rules inside and out, don’t you? Well, let me break it down for you.

Here’s how it goes: the person who plays the highest-ranked card in the suit that was led wins the trick. And guess what? They get to lead the next trick too. Talk about an advantage!

Now, if the trick is worth less than a point, the winner has to step down a bit and play their lowest-valued card for the next trick. It’s all about balance, you know?

But wait, there’s more! There’s this special bonus that you can win if you play your cards right. If you have three top cards of the same suit and manage to win three tricks in a row with them, your team gets an extra 11 points. Pretty sweet, right? They call this bonus a Politaine, and to get it, you have to declare your intention when the first card is played. It’s like a secret strategy, but not so secret anymore.

SCORING

When all the tricks are played, you and your team will add up the points from the cards you’ve won. You’ll subtract a fraction of those points from your team’s total, and your team’s score plus the other team’s score should always equal 11. You’ll keep track of these scores for each round, and the game will end when one team or both teams reach or go over 200 points.

GAME OVER

The game will come to an end as soon as a team reaches or goes over 200 points. If only one team reaches 200, they will be the winners. However, if both teams surpass 200, the team with the higher total will be declared the winner. In the case of a tie, an extra round will be played to determine the ultimate winner.

Hi there! I’m Amber (They/Them), an Austin-based writer and gaming enthusiast. I consider myself a gaming master, and I have a deep love for dogs, plants, and D&D.