Objective of the Game
Sixty-six (or 66) is a card game where the goal is to be the first to reach 66 points. It is designed for two players.
Game Material
- A deck of 24 cards, consisting of Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks, Tens, and Nines in the suits Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, and Spades.
Game Setup
- Shuffling: Shuffle the deck well.
- Dealing: Each player receives six cards. The remaining cards are placed face down as a stock (Talon) in the center.
- Trump Suit: The top card of the stock is turned face up and placed underneath. Its suit becomes the trump suit.
Gameplay
- The player who didn’t deal begins the game.
- Players take turns playing cards.
- The leading player plays a card, and the opponent must try to win the trick by playing a higher card of the same suit or a trump card.
Counting Points
- Card Values:
- Ace: 11 points
- Ten: 10 points
- King: 4 points
- Queen: 3 points
- Jack: 2 points
- Nine: 0 points
- Announcing combinations:
- Marriage (King and Queen of the same suit):
- Normal: 20 points
- In Trump: 40 points
Ending the Game
The game is either ended when a player takes the last card from the stock, and no more cards are in the stock, or when a player reaches 66 points and announces this.
Strategic Tips
- Counting Cards: Keep track of the cards that have been played. This helps to estimate the remaining cards in the stock and the opponent's cards.
- Announcing Wisely: Announce marriages at strategic times. Play a marriage when it can maximize benefit.
- Saving Trump Cards: Save your trump cards to win important tricks at critical moments.
Special Rules
- Endgame Phase: Once the stock is depleted or a player has "closed", the endgame phase begins. Now, players must follow suit and win the trick if possible.
- Closing: Instead of playing to the stock, a player can "close". After this, no more cards are drawn from the stock, and the endgame phase commences.
Sixty-six is a fast-paced and strategically deep card game that requires good tracking of played cards and strategic planning.
