Objective of the Game
The objective of Fuchsen is to collect tricks to score points. Each trick consists of four cards (one per player), and the player with the highest card wins the trick. At the end of the game, each player counts their won tricks and the points within them to determine the overall winner.
Setup
- Playing Cards: A standard deck with 32 cards, consisting of ranks Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace in the four suits Clubs, Spades, Hearts, and Diamonds.
- Number of Players: The game is played by exactly 4 players.
- Card Dealing: Each player receives 8 cards, dealt face-down clockwise.
Gameplay
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Follow Suit Rule: The player whose turn it is must always follow suit if possible. If they do not have a card of the required suit, they may play any card they choose.
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Trumps: Before the game starts, one suit is designated as the trump suit. Cards of this suit will outrank cards of other suits. Within the trump suit, normal card order applies.
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Order of Cards: Cards are ranked from low to high: Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace. In the trump suit, any trump card beats a card of another suit.
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Winning Tricks: The trick is won by the highest card of the led suit, or the highest trump card if trumps were played. The winner of a trick collects the cards and starts the next trick.
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Scoring Points: At the end of a round, each player counts the points from their won tricks. Cards have the following point values:
- Ace: 11 points
- Ten: 10 points
- King: 4 points
- Queen: 3 points
- Jack: 2 points
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Other cards: 0 points
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End of the Game: The game ends after a predetermined number of rounds. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Strategic Considerations
- Using Trumps: Since trump cards are particularly powerful, players should carefully decide when to play them to win valuable tricks or to block other players from winning strong cards.
- Follow Suit Rule Strategy: Sometimes, it is strategically smart to play a suit you believe opponents cannot follow, causing them to use their trump cards.
- Point Scoring Awareness: It can be wise to prioritize even relatively low cards like Ten, as they bring important points.
These rules provide a solid foundation to play Fuchsen, and with experience, players can develop further nuances and strategies.
