The games · Coolhand Cards

Sueca

Portugal's game on forty cards. The last card dealt names the trump, the seven is the second-highest card, and sixty-one takes the deal.

Players: 4
Family: Trick-Taking
App: Coolhand Cards · iOS and Android, soon

How it goes

You play as a side with the player across the table. Forty cards, no eights, nines or tens, all dealt out. The last card dealt is turned face up to name the trump, the suit that beats every other, and stays in the hand it was dealt to. Follow suit if you can. The highest trump takes the trick, or the highest card of the suit led, in the order ace, seven, king, jack, queen, then six down to two. Aces are worth eleven, sevens ten, kings four, jacks three, queens two, a hundred and twenty in the deck. Sixty-one takes the deal for one game, ninety-one for two, and taking every trick wins the whole match. The first side to four games wins.

A good hand

Aces and sevens in the trump suit, and aces in the other suits, led early before anyone can trump them. The seven surprises players who come from similar games: it beats the king, and a side that forgets gives ten points away every deal. Count what your partner shows you, and keep a trump back for the trick that carries the points.

The usual mistake

Playing the seven under an ace of the same suit, which hands over ten points. Leading an ace in a side suit late, when the other side has no cards left in that suit and still holds trumps. And letting a trick go at sixty: a tie scores nothing, and the deal was there to be taken.

Played differently where you are?

Card games change from table to table, and we researched some of these games instead of playing them. If Sueca goes differently where you play it, tell us. That's one of the things the closed beta is for.

The closed beta is by invitation. How to ask to join.