NAP



OBJECT OF NAP: The object of Nap is to make and win bids.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3 to 7 players

MATERIALS: A standard 52 card deck (can be modified), chips or money, and a flat surface.

TYPE OF GAME: Trick-Taking Card Game

AUDIENCE: Adult


OVERVIEW OF NAP

Nap is a trick-taking card game playable by 3 to 7 players. The goal of the game is to choose when to make bids and to win those bids by taking tricks.

The game has bidding and payouts in it. the payouts are done in stakes so each player should agree on what a single stake is worth.

SETUP

The dealer is chosen at random. They will shuffle the deck and deal each player a hand of 5 cards each in clockwise order. The dealer passes to the left for each new deal.

In most places, the game is played that the deck is only shuffled at the beginning of the game and once a bid of nap is successfully played. If neither of these is applicable the cards are usually just gathered and cut by the player to the right of the dealer before being dealt.

Card Ranking

The ranking is traditional with Ace (high), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 (low).

The game can be played with a modified deck. Some people play with a 24-card deck with Ace through 9 included; a 28-card deck with Ace to 8; or a 32-card deck with Ace to 7.

BIDDING

After the cards are dealt each player will have a round of bidding to participate in. Starting with the player left of the dealer each player will have one chance to bid or pass. If you decided to bid, you must bid higher than the highest bid so far. A bid determines how many tricks the bidder must win to collect stakes.

The bids include 3, 4, nap, or wellington. A bid of 3 and 4 means you must win that many or more tricks to win stakes. A bid of nap means you must win all 5 tricks to win stakes. A bid of wellington means you must win all 5 tricks to win stakes, but the payout is higher than a nap, and this bid can only be made after a bid of nap has been made.

If all players pass, then cards are collected and redealt by a new dealer.

The highest bidder plays against all the other players.

GAMEPLAY

The winning bidder leads the first trick. The suit of their first card played will be the trump suit for the round. The following players must follow suit if able. If they cannot follow suit, they may play any card they wish to.

The trick is won by the height trump, if applicable. If no trumps were played, then the trick is won by the highest card of the suit lead. The winner collects the trick to their score pile and leads the next trick.

PAYOUTS

After the round is finished players tally their tricks. If the bidder won as many tricks as they bid, they win a number of stakes based on their bid. If they lost, they pay each other player a number of stakes based on their bids.

For bids of 3, three stakes are paid. For bids of 4, four stakes are paid. Bids of nap pay 5 stakes, and a wellington is worth 10 stakes.

END OF GAME

The game is played until players wish to drop or end the game.

Amber Crook
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