A GAME OF THREE PURSUITS

Jokers & Jewels

Bid for tricks. Gather the seven Books. Capture the Motley.

Deal & bid

Everyone starts with 10 cards. The rest form the Library. Bid publicly for the entire round, including future draws. Free-for-all bids start at 1. In four-player partnerships, only one partner per team may bid nil. Partners sit in alternating seats.

Follow suit

Follow the led suit if you can, including trump. Otherwise play any card. The Fool is always legal and never wins. If led, the next card establishes the suit under ordinary leading restrictions.

Minor order: A · K · Q · N · S · 10 … 2
Trump order: JOKER · jester · 21 … 1

Break trump

Do not lead trump until an off-suit trump play breaks it, unless your hand has no non-trump cards. A forced trump opening breaks trump for the round. The Fool never breaks trump.

The Library

After each trick, everyone draws one replacement, beginning with the winner and proceeding in seating order. When the Library empties, play out your hands. The winner leads again.

Default scoring

Within bid: +2 per trick. Overtricks: +1. Missed tricks: −2. Control two cards of a Book: +2. Complete all three: +4 total. Capture JOKER, jester, and Fool: Motley +6. Partners combine Book and Motley captures.

Nil

Successful nil adds +1 to every trick taken by the non-nil partner. One nil trick breaks the bonus for the entire round. Nil tricks score +1 each and do not satisfy the partner’s bid. Two ordinary partners pool their bids and tricks.

The table

Select a legal card, then Play. Inspect enlarges any card. Anyone may continue after a completed trick; the host starts the next round. Book slots show captured ownership throughout the round. Unclaimed slots are still in hands or the Library.

Match & reconnect

Choose single round, fixed rounds, or target score. Targets are checked at round end; tied leaders share victory. Save your private seat key to reconnect on another browser. Absent players retain their seats and the game waits for them. CPU opponents are not included yet.

Optional house scoring is shown in the lobby and stays fixed for the match. You can export the public match history for playtesting.