Gamehelpagonyaunt

AGONY AUNT by David Parlett

A card board game Players: 4 Components: 53 card deck (Standard deck + 1 Joker), 17 counters per player in player colour Type: Trick avoid

The deck is shuffled and the top card is turn face up on the table (if this is a Joker, use the next card on the deck). The suit of this card is the dump suit and the rank of this card is the dump trick (A=1st, 2=2nd, 3=3rd, ..., J=11th, Q=12th, K=13th). The rest of the deck is then shuffled and 13 cards are dealt to each player. Whoever is dealt the Joker should treat it as if it had the same suit and rank as the face up card on the table.

The lead player can play any card. Other players must then in turn, play a card of the same suit if possible or any card if not. The highest play card of the led suit wins the trick.

Winning tricks can earn you the following penalties

• Agony Aunt: For winning the Queen of the dump suit.
• Joker: For winning the Joker.
• Heart/Spade/Club/Diamond Queen: For winning the specific Queen in a trick.
• Last trick: For winning the last trick in a hand.
• Most tricks: For winning the most tricks in a hand. (Tiebreaker for most is whoever won the most dump suit cards, if still tied, whoever won the highest ranked dump suit card).
• Dumpth trick: For winning the trick of the dump rank.

When a winner earns a penalty, they place one of their counters on the grid covering the penalty earned. It is possible to win multiple penalties in one trick.

At the end of the hand, these counters are lost. In addition to counters on penalties, you will also lose an additional counter for each 3 in a row (vertical, horizontal or diagonal) formed on the board.

At the end of the hand there is an opportunity for players to win back counters:

• If you win every trick: Take back all your counters.
• If you lose every trick (and no one won every trick): Take back all your counters.
• If you win at least 1 trick but get no penalties: Take back half your counters (rounded down).

First player of each hand rotates to the left. Play continues until the end of a hand where one or more players have lost all their counters.

The winner is the player with the most counters remaining.