Adonis Diaries

Exciting “400-King” card game: Inspired from Youth Spring Movements

There is this card game called “400” that I learned to play yesterday, and it inspired me a new set of challenging rules, which reflect the strategy adopted by youth spring movements to dispose of dictators, absolute monarchs, and the hegemony of multinational financial corporations and international financial institutions.

Let me describe and explain the simple standard card game of “400”.

First, it is played by four individuals, and can be played as a couple of two partners.

Second, every player bid for a number of hands to win.  If he managed his bid, he scores the number, even if he won more than what he bid.  Otherwise, he lose the same amount.  The partner has to win what he bid and also think of satisfying his partner’s bid.

Third, the atout (tarnib) is invariably the heart series.

Four, the least bid is two, which correspond to passing.

Five, the total bid number of the four players must be at least 11, otherwise, the hand is repeated by the one distributing the cards.

Six, If someone bid five or more, the score doubles.

Seven, if any bid fails, the score is deducted.

Eight, the game is over when the the total score of the partners is 51.

The more challenging alternative that I suggest is called “400-King”:

First, the individual at the right-hand side of the handler is the King:  He has the privilege to select the “atout”, and thus, not necessarily the heart.

Second, the total number of bid is increased to 12, so that the one who select the atout is challenged to bid 6 in order to secure that the hand is valid and the game resume, if all the other players pass (two points).

Third, the partner of the King, meaning the stooge or the oligarchy, will have to come to the rescue to bid a number so that the total bid of the partners is 8 or over.

Fourth, the opposing partners have the advantage to pass, meaning bidding only two.  Unless, one of the opposing has a strong hand and plenty of atout:  He will bid so that the total bid number is at least 12 and thus, fail the King and the king partner.  Consequently, there is more incentive for the opponents to fail the bid of the King that it necessarily high.

Five, the opposing partners are penalized only one score, and not two if they fail to obtain two points each. (The people have to bare responsibility for permitting the dictator to stay in power…)

Note: Please forward your comments and the correct technical terms for this card game.