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FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY

HOW TO PLAY

3 Tricks

Is a two-player card game played with a standard deck of cards 

 

Objective

Is to lay three tricks down in a row before your opponent but don’t be too hasty sometimes it pays to be patient, use the right strategy to block and outwit your opponent 

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What is a trick?

A trick consists of two cards that run consecutively and must be of the same suit for example a 4♣ and 5♣ (a run).

A trick can also be cards that match in rank for example: 7♥ and 7♠ (a pair)

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The Deal

Decide who will deal first then the player dealing will now shuffle the cards before dealing seven cards each face down, the deck is now placed face down to create a stockpile both players can now look at their own cards. 

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How to play a turn 

The player to play first will have two options of play 

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Option 1 - Play a trick consisting of two cards facing upwards in front of you. This now leaves you with five cards in your hand and this will now end your turn of play. 

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Option 2 - You can simply pass play back to your opponent or swap up to a maximum of three cards, when you have chosen the number of cards you wish swap you would now place the cards face down to the side of the first stockpile, (this forms a new secondary stockpile to be used when the first stockpile has ended). Then you must draw the equivalent number of cards from the top of the first stockpile, this will bring your hand back up to seven cards and then play will pass back to your opponent.

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After your opponent has taken their turn, it’s your turn to play.

If option 1 was chosen by your opponent, then they have laid a trick; you now have two choices of play.

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Choice 1 - Block your opponent’s trick

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Choice 2 - Pass play back to your opponent or swap up to a maximum of three cards from the stockpile 

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How to block your opponent’s trick 

To block your opponent’s trick, you must also play a trick face up in front of you, but your trick must match your opponent’s trick by containing either a matching suit or rank

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Example: your opponent’s trick is the 6♠ and 7♠ of you can block this trick by playing any trick that contains a spade for example any run in spades 3♠ and 4♠ or by matching two cards that are of the same rank but one of the cards must match the suit that was just laid by your opponent in this case to match the suit any pair that contains a spade, for example 9♦ with the 9♠. You can also match the rank by playing any pair of sixes or any pair of sevens.

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Once you have laid your trick, you have now blocked your opponent’s trick if you have blocked your opponent’s first trick they must now pickup their trick and place the two cards face down to one side starting a pile for all of their own blocked tricks, once this is done they must now replace the two cards by drawing two cards from the stockpile bringing their hand back to seven cards 

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Playing your second trick 

If you have played your first trick and your opponent didn’t block that trick, you can now lay your second trick, your second trick is laid face up next to your first trick it doesn’t have to match your first trick so any two card trick is fine to play, once you have laid your second trick this will now leave you with three cards in your hand. If you are unable to lay down your second trick or if you choose not to play your second trick, then you will have the option to pass or swap up to a maximum of three cards from the stockpile, this will end your turn of play.

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Blocking the second trick 

If you block your opponent’s second trick your trick has to match that trick that was just laid by your opponent in either suit or rank, once you have blocked the second trick, then both tricks are pickup by your opponent and placed face down onto their blocked trick pile they must now replace all four cards by drawing from the stockpile this will bring their hand back to seven cards and this will end their turn of play.

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Playing your third trick 

If your second trick has not been blocked by your opponent you will now have the opportunity to lay your third and final trick all three cards must run in the same suit or you can also lay down three cards of the same rank (three of a kind), once you have laid your last three cards you win the game.

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Aces are wild

All aces are wild but must be used in conjunction with another card because the card suit is not recognised as a suit on any of the aces. When you use an ace as a wild card with another card the only suit that is recognised is the other card. You cannot use just aces to form a trick.

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Example: you play a trick with an A♣ and 3♥ your opponent can only block your trick by using any trick that contains a heart or you can match the rank of the card in this case a pair of threes. 

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End of stockpile

When the stockpile has ended you simply pick up the secondary stockpile, shuffle the cards then draw from that stockpile, repeat this action until the main stockpile goes down to five cards or less and there’s no secondary stockpile, at this stage no more cards can be drawn from the stockpile.

At this stage if neither player has won the game by laying three tricks down without being blocked then each player will now count the number of two card tricks that were collected during the game from their blocked trick pile and the player with the most tricks wins if both players have the same number of tricks, then the game is a draw.

♣    ♥   ♦   ♠

3 TRICKS the card game is copyrighted by Winston Harris 18/05/2024