SIXTY-SIX
This simple variant of Bezique commands a chapter of its own for no reason other than the difficulty of explaining all the differences in a smaller space.
PLAYERS AND DECK
A two-hand game using a 24-card deck, with cards ranking downward: A, 10, K, Q, J, 9. Players score by melding and by capturing high-point cards, which are valued exactly as in Skat—ace earns 11, ten 10, king 4, queen 3 and jack 2.
CUT, SHUFFLE AND DEAL
Player who draws high card becomes dealer. After cut, he gives opponent and himself three cards at a time for six-card hands, then turns up top card of deck to establish the trump suit. Trump card is placed face up alongside or partly beneath the remaining pack, which now is used as a stock (or talon) for drawing purposes.
THE PLAY
Dealer’s opponent leads to first trick. Each trick is won by the higher card of the led suit, or by the higher trump. It is not compulsory to follow suit. Winner of each trick draws first from the stock and leads to the next trick.
If a player holds a king and queen of the same suit, he scores 20 (40 if the suit is trump) by displaying the cards and leading one of them to the next trick.
For tactical reasons, at any point during the play the winner of the latest trick may declare the stock closed by turning the trump card face down. No further draws are made, but in the remaining six tricks it is compulsory to follow suit if possible.If unable to follow suit, a player may play any other card he chooses, including trump. Melding of marriages (king and queen of same suit) is permitted during this phase. Should neither player close the stock, play of the final six tricks occurs after the stock is exhausted.
A player who has won at least one trick may exchange the trump nine for the face-up trump card. But if the last card of the stock is the trump nine, the player who draws it is required to keep it and the other player gets the other trump card.
SCORING
If stock was not closed by either player, final trick is worth 10 points. Otherwise it earns no bonus. After the final trick, players add up their points for marriages and captured high-point cards. First player to reach 66 gets 1 game point. If loser gets fewer than 33, he is schneidered and winner scores 2 game points. To win no trick is schwarz, which earns the winner 3 game points.
If a player closes the stock and goes on to score fewer than 66, his opponent gets 2 game points. Also, if opponent had not won a trick when the stock was closed but now restricts the closer to fewer than 66, he scores 3 game points.
Game goes to first to earn 7 game points. At any stage, a player who thinks that he has 66 is allowed to knock. If his count is correct, he wins. If not, opponent gets 2 game points.
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