OBJECT OF KÖNIGRUFEN: The object of Königrufen is to win payments.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 4 players
MATERIALS: A German deck of 32 cards or a modified deck of 52 cards, coins or chips for payments, and a flat surface.
TYPE OF GAME: Trick-Taking Card Game
AUDIENCE: All Ages
OVERVIEW OF KÖNIGRUFEN
Königrufen is a trick-taking game for 4 players. The goal of the game is for you and your partner(s) to score enough points in the round to win over your opponents. Winning will result in you earning payments while losing results in paying them to other players.
Players should discuss and decide how much a stake will be as they are paid to the winners after each round.
SETUP
If using a standard deck remove all cards 6 and below from the deck. This will leave you with a 32-card deck.
The first dealer is random and passes to the left for each new round. The dealer will shuffle the deck and the player to their right will cut the deck. Hands consist of 8 cards for each player and are dealt in batches of 4 cards each.
After the first batch of 4 cards is dealt, the player to the dealers left will call a trump suit and their potential partner. This is done by calling out a rank of card and the suit. If another player holds this card in their 4 cards, they will be the declarer’s partner. They will not state this out loud, but it may become apparent during gameplay. The declarer may also call a card in their hand if they wish to intentionally play without a partner.
Then after the card is called the dealer deals the second batch of 4 cards to each player.
Card Ranking and Values
The ranking for Königrufen is Ace (high), 10, King, Over (queen), Under (jack), 9, 8, and 7 (low).
The Aces and 10s are all worth 10 points each. The last trick is also worth an additional 10 points to its winner.
GAMEPLAY
The game starts with the player left of the dealer. The player may lead any card they wish. The following players must follow suit if able to and must play a trump if they cannot. If not able to do either they may play any card. A player must also always try to beat the current highest card of the trick
The trick is won by the highest trump, or if not applicable, by the highest card of the suit lead. The winner of the trick collects it and leads the next one.
Before the end of the first trick, a player may declare if they have the king and Over (queen) of the same suit. This is done by declaring 20 if they are of the non-trump suit, and 40 if it is the trump suit. This will be how many additional points a player will score if they win at least one trick.
A player may also before the end of the first trick declare 100, all tricks. this means the player will win all the trick or at least 100 points. this will award them an additional payment if successful.
SCORING
At the end of the round players will score their points. If nothing additional was declared before the first trick ended, then a team only needs to score 50 or more points to win. If a team declares though they need to hit a certain amount of points to win. If they declared 20 additional points, they need to score 60 or more points. if they declared 40 additional points, they need to score 80 or more points, and if they declared 60 additional points, they need to score 100 or more points to win.
After scores are settled payments are made. If the teams are 2 v 2, then one loser pays one winner. If it was 1 v 3 then either the one will pay all three or the three will all pay one.
One stake is paid for a standard win. If 100 or more points are reached without making the declaration to do so the winners receive 2 stakes. If the declaration of 100 was made 3 stakes are paid to the winners. A team that wins all 8 tricks without declaring to do so will win 2 stakes in addition to the 2 from scoring 100 points or more. If a declaration for all tricks is made 3 stakes are paid to the winners in addition to the stakes for score 100 or more points.
END OF GAME
The game ends when players no longer wish to play.
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