PEEP NAP



OBJECTIVE OF PEEP NAP:  Be the last player remaining with chips 

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 – 10 players

NUMBER OF CARDS: 52 playing cards

RANK OF CARDS: (low) 2 – Ace (high)

TYPE OF GAME: Trick taking

AUDIENCE: Adults


INTRODUCTION OF PEEP NAP

Peep Nap is a variation of Napoleon in which players are allowed to pay to peep at the widow card. Being a gambling game, each player should begin with the same number of chips, and the amount that each hand costs to play should be agreed upon prior to the first deal.  Players pay the winner of the round with chips from their stock.  The buy-in pot continues to grow each round until someone successfully bids for and captures 5 tricks.  

THE CARDS & THE DEAL

Begin with a 52 card deck.  2’s are low and Aces are high.  Each player antes in for the round.  For example, any player that wants to play must pay one chip to the pot.  Deal 5 cards to each player in packets of 2’s and 3’s.  Deal one card face down to form the widow.  The rest of the deck is placed to the side and not used for the round.

THE PLAY

BIDDING

Each player bids on how many tricks they believe they can take if they get to determine the trump suit.  A bid of five is called a Nap.  Before a player bids, they may pay one more chip to the pot and look at the widow card.  If a player does not want to bid, they can pass.

The highest bidder determines trump.  They may also exchange one card with the widow if they want.

THE FIRST TRICK

The bid-winner leads the first trick with a card in the suit that they call trump.  For example, if a player wins the bid and calls Hearts trump, they must lead the first trick with a Heart card.  Following players must follow suit if they can or else they play any card.  The highest card in the suit that was led or the highest trump card captures the trick.

The player that captures the trick begins the next trick with any card from their hand.

CONTINUE PLAY

Play continues until all five tricks have been captured.

PAYOUT 

At the completion of the round, the bid winner is paid for making their bid.  They do not earn chips for tricks captured beyond the bid.  For example, if the player bids 3 and captures 4 tricks, they are only paid 3 chips from each player.

If a player fails to meet or exceed their bid, they pay everyone at the table.  So, if the player bids 3 and only takes 2, they must pay 3 chips to each player at the table.

If a player bids five and captures all of the tricks, they collect the pot along with payment from the other players.  If a player bids five and fails to capture all of the tricks, they must pay the other players as well as double the pot.

WINNING

The last player remaining with chips is the winner.  An agreed upon number of rounds can also be played.  In that case, the player with the most chips at the end of the final round is the winner.

Mark Ball
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