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Marty brought this game to Russcon and I jumped out of the group that was starting Modern Art to play this game. This is a trick taking game that was self published and given out at the Gathering Of Friends. It is a partnership game that consists of 4 suits of 13 cards and 8 special power cards. At the beginning of the round, 4 of the special power cards are randomly drawn and then auctioned one at a time. Each player will have one bid where they must choose 3 cards from their hand and use them to bid for the card. The player with the highest total will then pass the three cards to the other three players. This happens for all three cards and who ever has the most special cards (or received the special card last in the case of a tie) determines trump.
So, there are already a number of interesting features of the game. You are given some knowledge of the cards in everyone’s hand. You are given better cards from the winners of the bidding. And there are an unequal number of cards in people’s hands.
The special cards are played during the game instead of a regular card (like Wizard where you can play the special card instead of being forced to play the lead card). Some of the special powers are always wins the trick, change the trump, and bonus points.
The play stops where both people on one team cannot play cards any more. The score is the number of stars taken (1s have 2, 3s have 1, and 7s have 1) times the number of tricks taken plus 5 points for each special card taken plus any bonus points from special cards.
Marty and I scored rather poorly this game. It definately requires some play to determine the best strategy.
Truely a classic partnership trick taking card game and my favorite of that genre. My partner for this game played rather horribly (like they have never played a trick taking game before). For example, with the following cards remaining: KK337, he led KK and then led 33 which lost and went out last because no single card lower than a 7 was played. On another hand, he played a Phoenix on top of a queen when there were aces and the Dragon still out there. We lost.