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Games on this page:

Quist

Animal Quist

Chili Dog

Turtle

Soup

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 (13^th) 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

• Name a ruling suit if desired

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 (13^th) 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

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

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 (13^th) 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 (13^th) 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

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 (17^th) 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 (17^th) 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)

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.
• 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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