ESTIMATION

OBJECTIVE OF ESTIMATIONS: The objective of Estimation is to score more points than any other player throughout the course of the game.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 4 Players

MATERIALS: 1 Standard 52 Card Deck

TYPE OF GAME:  Trick Taking Card Game

AUDIENCE: Adults

OVERVIEW OF ESTIMATION

Estimation is played exactly how it sounds. It is a typical trick taking game from the Middle East. Players must attempt to estimate how many tricks they will win each hand. If the players are able to win the exact number of tricks that they previously estimated, then they score points. If they win more or less tricks than they estimated, then there are points lost!

SETUP

The seating arrangement and first dealer are the first two things that need to be determined. This is done by drawing for the high card. The players will draw from a shuffled deck. The player with the highest card will become the first dealer and choose their seat first. The player who draws the lowest card will choose their seat last. Deal will rotate counterclockwise around the group.

The dealer will then shuffle the deck, allowing the player on their right to cut. The dealer will deal all of the cards, one card at a time to each player. Each player should then have thirteen cards.

Card Ranking

The cards are ranked in the following order, from low to high: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, and ace.

GAMEPLAY

Players will look at their cards, and the bidding will begin. The player on the dealer’s right will lead the first trick. All players after will then make one bid, with bidding going clockwise around the group. This bid is equal to the number of tricks that the player thinks they can win during the hand.

The minimum bid is four, unless a player declares a Dash call, meaning that they don’t think they will win any of the tricks. Bidding continues until all players have made their bid.

The player with the highest bid becomes the Declarer, and the suit of their bidding card becomes the trump suit. Based on the trump suit, the other players then state how many tricks that they think they can win during the hand. Players cannot say they will win more tricks than the Declarer.

For the final five rounds, bidding changes. Players immediately state how many tricks they think they can win. Trump suits are determined by what hand is being played. For hand 14 there is no trump suit, for 15 it is spades, for 16 it is hearts, for 17 it is diamonds, and for 18 it is clubs.

After bidding is complete, the play begins. Going counterclockwise around the group, each player will play one card to the trick. If they have a card of the leading suit, they must play it, otherwise they can play any card. The player who played the highest trump card wins the trick! If there is no trump suit, the player who plays the highest card, wins the trick.

Players only earn points for tricks won if they won the exact number of tricks that they bid for. The player will score the same number of tricks that he won. If they do not win the same number of tricks that they bid for, they subtract the difference between their bid and actual winnings from their points.

The hand comes to an end when all cards have been played. The points are tallied, cards are reshuffled, and another hand can begin!

END OF GAME

The game comes to an end after 18 hands have been played. The player will then tally all of their points from the hands. The player with the most points wins the game!

Nakoa Davis
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