I do enjoy this Games NIght I've joined up with. Every second Thursday.
Mostly cribbage, but often other games too, like mebbe donimoes or, tonight, the wonderful Sphinx.
Best game for three players
SET UP
Take out the fives and below, and put the 'twos' to one side.
36 cards in play - six and upwards.
Lay out the twos face down in a pile.
Diamonds = 0 points
Spades = 1 point
Hearts = two points
Clubs = three points
First hand - no trumps.
Deal twelve cards to each player (using all 36 cards). Starting with the player to the left of the dealer, each player has to declare how many tricks they think they can win (by calling a number anywhere between "none" and "nine")
They do this not by calling the number aloud, but by discarding THREE cards from their hand whose combined points total the number of tricks called.
The declaration remians unspoken and thus unknown to the other players.
It is confirmed, when the discarded cards are checked at teh end of the hand during scoring.
So if a player thinks he can make SIX tricks, the three cards he discards from his hand must total SIX points (eg two clubs and a diamond, or three hearts)
The nomination of the card is irrelevant (both an ace and a six score the same - AceDiamonds = NO points: SIX diameonds = no points)
Players can call any number of tricks - ie-there is no obligation for the total called to add up to nine. (each player can call "nine" if they choose) Tis is actually easier to achieve than you might at first think...
SCORING
Each hand has a bonus of thirty points up for grabs, in addition to the number of tricks scored.
If ALL THREE players make the number of tricks they called, each wins TEN points. If two players make it, they each win FIFTEEN POINTS. If only one player makes it, he wins THIRTY points. Should no player win his called number of hands, then no bonus points are allocated.
In addition to bonus points, each player also wins points according to the number of hands he wins. Win four hands, get four points. Declare "four" hands as well, win aditional points.
Thus the maximum points available to win at each hand is THIRTY NINE (calling "nine" and winning all nine)
TRUMPS
In the first hand played (which begins with the player to the left of the dealer) there are NO TRUMPS.
Each subsequent hand has a trump suit. This is determined by the number of people who successfully declared the number of hands they won in the previous hand.
Thus if no-one wins their declared number of hands, DIAMONDS are trumps in the next hand, and if all three people win, then CLUBS are trumps in the next hand.
To remind players what are trumps, the TWOS should be placed in a stack, with the appropriate suit turned face up on top.
PLAY
When all three players have made their declaration (by discarding three cards totalling the number of hands they think they can make), play begins on the dealer's left.
As usual, ACE is HIGH and all players must follow suit if they are able to do so. The highest card of the leading suit wins the hand, unless a trump is played. In this case, the highest trump card wins. There is no obligation to trump if you can't follow the leading suit.
The player winning a hand will open with the lead card in the next hand.
TACTICS
Sphinx is an amazingly versatile game and challenges the players at every turn.
First of all, you must consider carefully what to declare, and how you are going to make up that number. If you consider you could win SIX hands, then the three cards you discard must have a total points value of SIX (eg three hearts, or two clubs and a diamond).
A player is perfectly at liberty to declare "none" and then deliberately play to lose ALL the hands, even by discarding high value trumps...
Beware of such 'negative' players, for they habitually play to upset your declaration.
Remember that only the sixes and up are in the game - the pack is top heavy.
The last hand or two is invariably won by the player who plays the leading card.
Are you sure you want to be in this position? Have you already made you declared number of hands and so really don't actually want to win any more?
Do you suddenly need to win all the remaining hands?
How will you win the lead?
Has the player next to you made their declared number of hands? Can you sabotage his chance of winning bonus points?
What happens if you lead with a high trump?
Has someone declared "eight" winning hands? How will you stop him? Does that affect what you will declare - given that he may have five or six trumps in a nine-card hand?
How can you be sure that you won't win ANY hands?
You have been dealt the five highest trumps. So you can win at least five hands. But if you lead these and others follow, thus drawing out all the trumps, think how many of the remaining hands you want to win...? consider discarding the ACE and the TEN. Depends what suit they are of course...
Or keep them and call maybe "eight"?
*
It's a brilliant game, and goes particularly well with a couple of pints of 6X and some folkies strumming away in the background. Works on every level
Started the evening by playing crib with just two of us and dealing six cards each. High scoring as anticipated, and easier to control the pegging. Quite different to the four player game I am more used to.
Free doritos and spicy dipping sauce.
Skinny and short works for me.
Nice barmaid pixie - five feet and no tits.
Good call...
