CRAZY SOLO

OBJECT OF CRAZY SOLO: The object of Crazy Solo is to score as high as possible in the rounds so that other players must pay you points. 

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3 through 12 players

MATERIALS: One modified 52-card deck, a way to keep score or chips, and a flat surface.

TYPE OF GAME: Trick-Taking Card Game

AUDIENCE: Adult

OVERVIEW OF CRAZY SOLO

Crazy Solo is a 3 to 12 player trick-taking card game. The goal of the game is to score as high in the rounds as you can so you can earn points from other players. There is no official end to the game, players play until bored or can set a time limit at the beginning of the game. If playing for money, chips should have small amounts associated with them for payouts at the end of the game. 

The game is played slightly differently for a three-player game. The differences will be discussed under the Bidding section. 

SETUP AND BIDDING

First, the deck will need to be modified for the number of players. In three-player games, a 36-card deck or a 24-card deck can be used. For a 36-card deck, the 5s and below are removed for 24 card decks, 8s, and below are removed. For a 4, 6, 9, and 12 player games a 36-card deck is used. For 5 or 7 player games the 6 of spades are taken out of 36 card deck. For 8 player games, all cards 6 and below are removed to form a 32-card deck. For 10 player games, 6s and below along with the seven of clubs and spades are removed to make a 30-card deck. And finally, for an 11-player game the cards 5 and below along with 6s of diamonds, clubs and spades are removed for a 33-card deck. 

Once the deck is modified the dealer is chosen at random. This passes to the left for each new deal. They will shuffle the cards and, starting with their left player, deal cards one at a time till the deck is empty and all players have even hands. 

Once hands are dealt the bidding begins. This determines who will play against the others. The player left of the dealer starts. Each player makes only one bid on their turn and must increase the bid of the last player if applicable, or pass. There is one exception to this when a player bids to solo with hearts, the next player may make the same bid. 

The bids are ranked lowest being pass, then solo, solo in hearts, go alone, go alone in hearts. If all players pass, then cards are taken and redealt.

Solo means you will get to call a partner and trumps. Solo with hearts means you just get to call a partner and trumps are automatically hearts. Go alone means you get to call trumps, but have no partner. Finally go alone with hearts means you play alone and trumps are hearts.

The winning bidder will call trumps if not automatically hearts, and if not going alone, will call a card to determine their partner. An example of this would be “trumps clubs, call Ace of clubs.” The player holding this card is their partner but does not reveal this. 

Any player not a partner to the solo player will be on a team to oppose them.

In three-player games, there is only the option to pass, go alone, or go alone with hearts. 

Card Ranking and Values

Cards are ranked Ace (high), 10, King, Queen, Jack, 9, 8, 7, 6 (low).

They have values as well in the above order the values are: 11 points, 10, 4, 3, 2, 0, 0, 0, and 0 points. 

This leaves a value of 120 points per round. the team that scores at least 61 of it wins the round. 

GAMEPLAY

The game is played clockwise starting with the player left of the dealer. They may lead any card to the trick. The following players must follow suit if able. If they cannot, they must play a trump if they can. If they cannot, they may play any card. there is no obligation to win tricks. The winner of the trick leads the next. 

SCORING

Scoring can be kept on paper or with chips. At the start of the game, each player has 150 points.

Payouts are based on what suit was used and the number of points scored. For hearts as trumps, there are three points paid for every 1 point your team scored over 60. For all other suits, the payout is 2 points for every point over 60. Payout outs are rounded to the nearest 5 and are paid by each losing player. If both teams score 60 no payout is made. If there is an odd number of payouts the caller pays or receives the extra. For example, in a 5-player game, the solo player and their teammate won. Each other player makes the payment; the solo player and teammates both receive one payout, with the extra payout going to the solo player. 

END OF GAME

The game ends when players wish to stop playing, or a target that was set before the game is reached. 

Amber Crook
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