Gamehelpbottleimp

Objective

Score the most points over several rounds by winning tricks. However, beware of the Bottle Imp: the player who owns it at the end of a round receives a penalty instead of scoring positive points.

Game Overview

The game uses 36 cards in three colors, numbered from 1 to 37 (except 19). Each card also shows its merit points, which count towards your score.

The Bottle Imp starts each round with a value of 19.

At the start of each round, each player:

• Discards one card face down to form the Devil's Trick.
• Passes one card face down to the player on their left and one to the player on their right, then takes the cards passed to them.

Playing Tricks

The player to the left of the dealer leads the first trick. Play proceeds clockwise.

On your turn, play one card:

• You must follow the led color if possible.
• If you cannot follow suit, you may play any card.

The highest card does not necessarily win the trick. The Bottle Imp's current value determines the winner:

• If at least one card is lower than the Bottle Imp's value: The highest card below that value wins the trick and takes the Bottle Imp. Its value is reduced to the value of the winning card.
• If all cards are higher than the Bottle Imp's value: The highest card wins the trick, but the Bottle Imp stays with its current owner.

Card colors do not affect which card wins the trick.

Whenever the Bottle Imp changes hands, the card that won it is placed face up under the Bottle Imp. The card that previously determined its value is added to its former owner's captured tricks.

The winner of each trick leads the next one.

End of the Round & Scoring

The round ends when all cards have been played.

Each player scores the merit points on the cards in their captured tricks. The player who owns the Bottle Imp instead receives the total merit points of the Devil's Trick as negative points.

After the agreed number of rounds, the player with the highest total score wins.

Game Variants

Team Mode (4–6 Players)

Players can form teams of two, with teammates sitting opposite each other. Depending on the number of players, there may also be individual players.

Teammates combine their scores and both receive the same result. If either teammate owns the Bottle Imp at the end of a round, both receive the penalty from the Devil's Trick instead of positive points.

Individual players double their score, including any penalty.

Devil's Eye (2 Players)

This variant uses a special card setup. Each player receives two hands:

• A face-up hand of 7 cards, arranged in an arc on the table.
• A face-down hand of 10 cards, kept in hand.

Each trick consists of four cards, with each player playing two cards in turn. Players may choose which hand to play from.

When playing from the face-up hand, you must follow suit if possible. When playing from the face-down hand, you may play any card.

The usual rules for winning tricks, transferring the Bottle Imp and scoring apply.

The Second Bottle (5–6 Players)

This variant uses all 54 cards and two Bottles Imp, both starting at a value of 19.

The first player to win a trick with a card below 19 takes one of the bottles of their choice. From then on, only the bottle with the higher current value can be claimed.

At the end of the round, each bottle owner receives the Devil's Trick as negative points instead of scoring positive points. If one player owns both bottles, they receive the penalty twice.