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Games on this page:
Quist
Animal Quist
Chili Dog
Turtle
Soup
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Official Rules for the 5
Games of
Quist
Like its ancient ancestor Whist, basic
Quist is the
logical starting point for the player new to the trick-taking genre of
Scroker card games. Animal Quist is no more difficult to learn
and provides an alternative for roaming interests. The quirky but
likeable Chili Dog, crossbred from basic Quist and several
Hearts hybrids, is definitely a mutt, affectionately grungy
enough for 21st century preferences. Turtle,
the first three-player variant, borrows so
heavily from a British relative it might better have been called
Black Ninja. Lastly, what better to follow Turtle than a
little Soup. |
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Quist |
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Players
Four: played as teams of two
Objective
Take more tricks than the opposing team
Overview
All cards are dealt—13 to each player. In
turn, each player contributes one card to create
a four-card trick. The team that contributes the
controlling card takes the trick. Alternatively,
the team that is able to create or identify a
four-letter word with the trick may override the
controlling card. A hand is ended when the last
(13th) trick is taken. The team that
has taken the most tricks wins the hand and adds
points to a cumulative game score. The winner of
the hand earns the next deal and a new hand
begins. A team wins the game by being first to
attain a predetermined winning score.
Setup
- Normal 52 card deck—no [Scrokers]
- Deal all cards (13 cards to each player)
Dealer option
Rules
- The player to the dealer’s left leads to the first
trick.
- The player that takes the trick leads to the next trick.
- Players must "follow suit." If a player holds in his hand any
cards of the same suit as the card led in that trick, he must play
one of those cards.
- The card of the highest
rank from the suit led
will
rule the trick unless the trick contains a card
from a ruling suit. In that case, the highest-ranking card from the
ruling suit will rule.
- Cards of ruling suits may not be led until
loose.
- A player contributing the last card to a trick may
scrump
the trick if able.
- A hand is ended when the last (13th) trick is taken.
The team which took the most tricks wins the hand, adds associated
points to a cumulative game score and earns the right to deal or
pass the deal for the next hand.
Scoring
- 1 point for each trick taken over 6
- 2 points (subtracted) for losing a
spellcheck
- 21 points total wins the game
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Animal Quist |
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Players
Four—played as teams of two
Objective
Take more Tricks and Animals than the
opposing team (point-trick)
Overview
Technically, Animal Quist is merely a
minor variation of basic Quist. The only
true twist to the game is in the scoring
formula. Points for Animals have replaced points
for number of tricks. The Setup and Rules remain
identical to those of Quist with one
exception—Animals always rule. Therefore, the
dealer has no option to affect the ruling suit.
Despite the seemingly elementary modification to
the basic game, the object has been shifted from
a plain-trick to a point-trick concept.
Correspondingly, the fundamental strategy of
play is altered.
Scoring
- 1 point for each Animal taken over 6 Animals by the hand winner
(the team that took the most tricks)
- 2 points (subtracted) for losing a
spellcheck
- 21 points total wins the game
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Chili Dog |
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Players
Four—played as teams of two
Objective
Either avoid taking tricks with Chili Peppers
or the [Dog] in them (trick-refusal /
point-trick) or go for "the works"
Definition
- The works:
All Chili Peppers and the [Dog]
Overview
All cards are dealt—13 to each player. In
turn, each player contributes one card to create
a four-card trick. The team that contributes the
controlling card to the trick is forced to take
the trick. Alternatively, the team that
contributes the controlling card but is able to
create or identify a four-letter word with the
trick may force his opponent to take it. A hand
is ended when the last (13th) trick
is taken. The number of chili peppers taken by
the team that took the [Dog] are tallied and
added to that team’s cumulative game score. One
curveball to beware—if a team takes "the works,"
the opposing team scores all of the points for
that hand. When one team reaches a predetermined
losing score, the other team wins the game.
Setup
- Normal 52 card deck—no [Scrokers]
- Deal all cards (13 cards to each player)
Rules
- The player to the dealer’s left leads to the first
trick.
- The player that takes the trick leads to the next trick.
- Players must "follow suit." If a player holds in his hand any
cards of the same suit as the card led in that trick, he must play
one of those cards.
- Animals
rule.
- Chili Peppers may not be led until
loose.
- The player contributing the last card to the trick may
scrump it, if able to either take the trick or force the
player on his right to take.
- The hand is ended when the last (13th) trick is
taken. The team that took the [Dog] adds points for chili peppers
taken to a cumulative game score. One exception: if one team takes
the works, the other team scores the total associated points.
- The team which wins the hand (scores no points) earns the right
to deal or pass the deal for the next hand.
Scoring
- 1 point for each chili pepper (chili peppers are
hot—28
points total available)
- 10 points (subtracted) for winning a
spellcheck
- 28 points for a team when the other team takes the works
- 100 points total loses the game
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Turtle |
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Players
Three
Objective
Either avoid taking tricks with penalty cards
in them (trick-refusal / point-trick) or
"turtle"
Definition
- Turtle:
Take all of the penalty cards (all 13 Chili Peppers
and the [Turtle])
Overview
The deck is modified to a 51-card deck. All
cards are then dealt: 17 to each player. Each
player exchanges three cards. In turn, each
player contributes one card to create a
three-card trick. The player that contributes
the controlling card to the trick is forced to
take the trick. Alternatively, the player that
contributes the controlling card but is able to
create or identify a three-letter word with the
trick may force an opponent to take it. A hand
is ended when the last (17th) trick
is taken. Each player totals the points of any
penalty cards taken and adds (or subtracts in
the event of turtling) the appropriate total to
cumulative game scores. When one player reaches
a predetermined losing score, the player with
the lowest score wins the game.
Setup
- Remove [Scrokers] and the [Sour A] from the deck
- Deal all cards (17 cards to each player)
Rules
- Conduct a card exchange before beginning each hand. Three cards
are chosen by each player to be passed facedown to the player
sitting to his right (counter-clockwise).
- The player to the dealer’s left leads to the first
trick.
- The player that takes the trick leads to the next trick.
- Players must "follow suit." If a player holds in his hand any
cards of the same suit as the card led in that trick, he must play
one of those cards.
- The card of the highest
rank from the suit led
will
rule the trick.
- Chili Peppers may not be led until
loose.
- A player contributing the last card to the trick may
scrump it, if able, to either take the trick or force the
player on his right to take it.
- The hand is ended when the last (17th) trick is
taken. Each player totals the penalty cards taken and adds the
appropriate total to a cumulative game score.
- The player that takes the [Turtle] deals the next hand.
Tips
- Players must always be on guard for someone attempting to
"Turtle." The maneuver is not easy to pull off, but if it is
accomplished, it can quickly turn the game upside-down for a leader,
sailing along, not paying attention.
Scoring
- 1 point for each Chili Pepper (13 points total available)
- 13 points for the [Turtle]
- Minus 26 points for a player who successfully turtles
- 26 points to the two other players if the third player
successfully turtles
- 10 points (subtracted) for winning a
spellcheck
- 100 points total reached by any player at the end of a hand ends
the game (low score wins)
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Soup |
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Players
Three
Objective
Make other players "eat the soup."
Definition
- Soup
: A sort-of loosely defined "trick." The one or more
cards in the center of the table that continues to grow as each
player, in turn, contributes a card. No maximum length limit exists.
Most of the time, the letters in the "soup" do not spell a word yet,
but a word must always be possible. For example, "S," "T," and then
"I" are legal letters to be added to the soup because the word
"STIR" is possible.
- Eat the Soup
: A player takes the one or more cards in the
center of the table and turns them facedown near him as a single
"trick" to be easily tabulated at the end of a hand.
- Fresh Soup
: The first card played after someone "eats the
soup."
Overview
The deck is modified to a 51-card deck. All
cards are then dealt—17 to each player. Each
player exchanges three cards. In turn, each
player contributes one card to create the
"soup." If a player actually completes a word
with the card he is contributing, he must "eat
the soup." A hand is ended when all players’
hands are empty. Each player totals the number
of tricks taken and adds that number to a
cumulative game score. When one player reaches a
predetermined winning score, the player with the
lowest score wins the game.
Setup
- Remove [Scrokers] and the [Sour A] from the deck
- Deal all cards (17 cards to each player)
Rules
- Conduct a card exchange before beginning each hand. Three cards
are chosen by each player to be passed facedown to the player
sitting to his right (counter-clockwise).
- The player holding the [Sour P], leads with that card to begin
the first
trick. A player forgetting this
responsibility may be prodded with the gentle reminder, "P in the
soup, please."
- The game proceeds clockwise, each player contributing a single
card during his turn.
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Firm lettering is required.
- The soup is constructed as a horizontal
array.
- A player’s turn may be conducted in one of three different ways.
1) He plays his card, a
word is possible but no word
is created yet in the soup. His turn is over. 2) He plays a card
that completes a word and therefore must eat the soup. After doing
so, his turn is over. 3) Before contributing a card, the player
first "eats the soup" (before a word is created). He then plays one
card to begin fresh soup.
- Before initiating a turn by either playing a card or lifting a
trick from the table, a player may instruct the player to his right
to "eat the soup" if he believes his opponent had just created a
word. The opponent instructed to "eat the soup" must comply unless
he is willing to counter-challenge with a
spellcheck.
Once the terms "eat the soup" and "spellcheck" have been said by the
respective players, neither player may retract from the contest
unless both players agree to not go through with it.
- A second way a spellcheck may be initiated is by a player who
must create "fresh soup" at the start of his turn. Before playing
his card, he may call for the just "eaten" trick to be returned to
the table for inspection. He may then choose to drop the issue or
challenge his opponent to a spellcheck.
- The hand ends when one player cannot take his turn because he is
out of cards. Ideally, all players should be out of cards at this
time. If any other player still has a card left in his hand, a
mistake was made. But there are no penalties assigned or replay
necessary. Total tricks taken by each player are counted and the
cumulative game scores updated.
- If the soup does not spell a word when the last card has been
played, it merely remains in the center of the table temporarily
while players count their tricks taken. All 51 cards are then put
back together to be reshuffled in the next deal.
- The dealer is established before the start of the game (usually
by a card draw) and remains the dealer throughout the entire game.
The winner of one game becomes the dealer for the next.
Scoring
- 1 point for each trick taken
- 5 points for losing a spellcheck (recorded immediately following
the contest)
- Minus 5 points for winning a spellcheck (also recorded
immediately following the contest)
- 50 points reached by any player at the end of a hand ends the
game (low score wins)
Tip
- Putting vowels to one side in the hand and consonants on the
other is helpful when trying to control quantities of each.
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