We enjoy all the random, non sequitur answers that are at the heart of this game. Some may feel the game is a bit irreverent but it’s not in my opinion. We’re laughing at the bizarre results, not the bible itself.

This game has a player reading a question and the other players choose an answer from one of their cards with words or phrases from the Bible. Some answers are off the wall weird, but most wind up being pretty hilarious.

I think this party game may not appeal to everybody, but for our experience we loved it. We’ve been known to laugh at mispronounced words or misheard phrases anyway so this game fit right into our sense of humor. I’ll just say there are a lot of unexpected responses to the questions.

If this sounds like your sense of humor you would enjoy this game. We love Mad Libs and The Bible is Funny Volume II is very similar.

This game is very simple. Choose who goes first by whatever method you prefer. Each player is dealt 7 answer cards. The first player draws a question card. They pick between the two questions on the card which they want to read.

They read the question out loud for the other players. The other players chooses one card from their hand, and passes it to the player that read the question. Then, the player who read the question card gets to read each answer card. That player then chooses the best answer, usually the answer which got the biggest laughs!

The player with winning answer gets to keep the question card. The first player to collect seven question cards wins the game.

Anyone with a sense of humor would enjoy this game. Players don’t need any biblical knowledge to play. Sensitive people may want to avoid this game just because it contains quotes from the Bible.

Whether it’s from disdain or reverence, I think they’re missing out on a lot of fun. Both The Bible Is Funny and it’s sequel had us in stitches. It didn’t offended me in the least.

If you like play on word games then you would enjoy this game. It’s not a card game, strategy game, or puzzle game. The Bible Is Funny Volume II doesn’t require any skill beyond reading. Some of the funniest rounds involve the most random answers. If you just picked answers at random you’d still have a good time.

Similar games that come to mind to us are Mad Libs, Taboo, Mad Gab, Spontooneous, and possibly Cards Against Humanity. It’s similar to Mad Libs except instead of an entire story being read, it’s only one line or question at a time. Instead of thinking of random nouns, verbs, or adjectives this game has preprinted lines or words taken from the Bible.

The other games are similar in that they are play on words or phrases. These games are simple, don’t have complicated rules, or scorekeeping. Mostly they are intended to make everyone laugh.

The good parts of this game are it doesn’t need dice, pencils, a board, or game pieces. Cards are both used for play and scorekeeping. So everything necessary to play comes in the box. Sure, it’s best to use a table or flat surface to play. However, you can all play sitting on a couch and chairs.

The subjective nature of the game is one drawback. It’s the opinion of the current reader who determines who score’s a point. Whether they pick the funniest, weirdest, or logical response is up to them. Generally the funniest response wins, but not always.

Another drawback is the lack of cards. This was true for the original game as well. It just isn’t as much material as it should be. We started running into repeat cards. The five of us went through all the cards after a couple games.

For this review, we give The Bible is Funny Volume II 9 out of 10 stars. It’s a great game to play with friends or family. We wish they had combined these games into one due to the scant supply of material. I can say it’s easy to learn, isn’t limited to a specific amount of players, and doesn’t require any special knowledge of the Bible.

We all had such a great time playing both versions. I highly recommend adding this game to any family game night.

As I mention before, we loved the first volume and I have a review of it right here that you might also want to check out.

The Bible is Funny Volume II Review brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Word Rummy combines Rummy and Scrabble. If you know how to play rummy then you’ll be ahead of the learning curve. Scrabble is just making words of the letters you’re given. So having a large vocabulary helps.

Either way, this is a great game for people who enjoy word games. It’s a card game with fairly quick rounds. Keeping score is easy. So it’s flexible enough to play to a certain score or set time.

Overall, Word Rummy seems awkward the first round. However, everyone quickly caught on. It turned out to be quite the competitive game for our local wordsmiths.

Word Rummy play is similar to Rummy. Players are dealt cards. They draw and discard one card per turn. Players lay down sets or runs. When a player runs out of cards the round is over. The main difference is players assemble words instead of sets or runs.

Word Rummy begins by dealing out 7 cards to each player. Then place the deck face down and flip over the top card. The player to go first has the option of drawing one card from the deck or picking up the card showing.

The player lays down any words they can form with the letters in their hand. If they use every card (letter) in their hand the round is over. If they have leftover cards, can’t, or won’t form any words then they discard a card. Then the next player has the choice to pick up the discarded card or draw from the deck.

Play continues until a player runs out of cards. Players can use their cards to build words from other players words to use up their cards.

We found many times players could go out on their first play, leaving everyone else with negative scores. Leftover cards deduct points from a players total. Players score points for every word they form, including the ones from other players even if they only added one letter.

Anyone who enjoys word games would love this game. You don’t necessarily need to be a fan of card games appreciate Word Rummy. At it’s core this game is about forming words with the random letters you are given. Or forming new words of the ones in play.

If you’re a fan of Scrabble, Boggle, Words With Friends, Word Wheel, or any other word jumble game then it’s a good idea to check out Word Rummy.

Word Rummy is similar to Scrabble and Words With Friends. As for Rummy, I don’t consider them similar beyond the card mechanics. Rummy uses numbers while the other is a word game.

Word Rummy is all about forming words for points. Instead of tiles of a board in Scrabble, this game is just cards laid out in front of each player. There aren’t any double or triple scores in Word Rummy.

As odd as it sounds getting a letter such as the Q is bad in this game. In Scrabble it’s an opportunity for a high point word. In Word Rummy a high point letter usually counts against you. If I couldn’t play it immediately, it was my first discard.

Word Rummy is quicker and simpler than Scrabble in my opinion. We found many rounds were over within the first or second play. A player rarely had four opportunities to draw before someone went out.

The only drawbacks I noticed were the first round was awkward. I’m thinking I’m playing Rummy, but instead of kings and aces I’m looking at letters. Deciding whether to draw up the letter showing or pick up a random letter was bewildering. Of course, once the other player played all their cards the first try I caught on.

Scoring is a bit complicated. They suggest using Scrabble tile points. However, using 10 points for X, Y, Z, & Q while all other letters score 5 points did simplify things.

I enjoyed the quick pace compared to Scrabble. Those can be long games figuring out the best play for the highest points. Word Rummy is about dumping all your cards before you eat them in points. Discarding high point letters would be unheard of in Scrabble. It was common to discard the Q in this game. Different but good.

For this review, we give Word Rummy 9 out of 10 stars. We’re a bit biased since we love word games but this game was a lot of fun. It was quick. Simplified scoring was an improvement. Creatively building off other players words. Everything about this game is fun.

Word Rummy Card Game Review brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Why WHOT! Sonic Edition?

Whot! is a fast-paced and entertaining card game that combines strategy, luck, and plenty of surprise moments. Originating in Nigeria, the game has become popular with families and friends thanks to its simple rules and exciting gameplay.

At its core, Whot! is easy to learn. The game uses a unique deck of cards featuring symbols rather than traditional suits. These symbols usually include Circle, Triangle, Square, Cross, and Star but for the Sonic Edition they change them to be Gold Ring, Chaos Emerald, Item Box and other sonic related items anyway each numbered from 1 to 14, along with special “Whot” cards. On a player’s turn, they must match either the symbol or the number of the top card on the discard pile. If a player cannot make a valid move, they must pick up cards from the draw pile until they can play. This straightforward mechanic makes Whot! accessible even to new players, including children, while still allowing room for strategic thinking.

What truly sets Whot! apart from many other card games is its use of action cards. Certain numbers carry special abilities that can dramatically shift the course of a round. For example, some cards force the next player to pick up extra cards, while others require opponents to miss a turn or allow the current player to choose a new symbol. These action cards introduce unpredictability and excitement, ensuring that no lead is ever completely safe. A player who appears close to winning can suddenly find themselves falling behind, which keeps all participants engaged until the very end.

Another appealing aspect of Whot! is the strategy involved in hand management. Players must constantly decide whether to play powerful action cards immediately or save them for a more critical moment. Holding onto a Whot card, which allows the player to call any symbol, can be a game-changing decision if used wisely. This balance between luck and strategy means that skilled players can improve their chances of winning over time, but newcomers still have opportunities to succeed, making the game fair and enjoyable for mixed-experience groups.

Whot! also excels as a social game. The fast pace and frequent surprises often lead to laughter, playful frustration, and lively conversation around the table. Because rounds are usually short, players can easily play multiple games in one session, encouraging friendly competition and rematches. The game supports different numbers of players and is often adapted with house rules, which adds to its versatility and long-lasting appeal.

Visually, the Whot! deck is bright, colorful, and easy to read. The use of bold symbols rather than traditional card suits makes the game accessible to younger players and those who may struggle with standard playing cards. The durable card design also holds up well to repeated use, which is important for a game that is often played frequently and enthusiastically.

Pros:

• Easy to Learn and Play
  Whot! has simple rules that are quick to understand, making it accessible for beginners, children, and casual players. Most people can learn the basics within a few minutes, which makes it ideal for family game nights or social gatherings.
• Fast-Paced Gameplay
  Rounds of Whot! move quickly, keeping players engaged and reducing downtime. Because games are short, it’s easy to play multiple rounds in one sitting without the experience feeling repetitive or tiring.
• Fun and Strategic Action Cards
  The special action cards add excitement and unpredictability to the game. Cards that force opponents to pick up cards, miss turns, or change symbols create tense moments and encourage strategic thinking.
• Great for Social Play
  Whot! encourages interaction, friendly competition, and laughter. Surprise moves and sudden turnarounds often lead to lively reactions, making it an excellent choice for parties and group settings.
• Flexible Player Count and House Rules
  The game works well with different numbers of players and is often customized with house rules. This flexibility allows groups to tailor the experience to their preferences.
• Colorful and Accessible Card Design
  The bold symbols and bright colors make the cards easy to recognize and suitable for younger players or those who may find traditional playing cards confusing.

Cons:

• Heavy Reliance on Luck
  While strategy plays a role, luck can heavily influence the outcome. A player’s success often depends on the cards they draw, which may frustrate players who prefer games with more skill-based outcomes.
• Can Feel Repetitive Over Time
  Because the core mechanics are simple, frequent play without variation or house rules may cause the game to feel repetitive for some players.
• Action Cards Can Be Frustrating
  The same action cards that make the game exciting can also feel unfair, especially when players are forced to pick up many cards or miss multiple turns in a row.
• Limited Depth for Experienced Gamers
  Players who enjoy complex strategy games may find Whot! too light or shallow compared to more advanced card or board games.

Summary

Overall, Whot! is a timeless card game that successfully blends simplicity, strategy, and excitement, a lot like Uno. Its easy-to-learn rules make it welcoming to beginners, while its action cards and tactical decisions keep experienced players engaged. Whether you are looking for a fun family game, a casual party activity, or a nostalgic favorite, Whot! delivers a rewarding and memorable experience. It is a game that proves you don’t need complex rules or expensive components to create lasting fun—just a well-designed deck and a group of eager players.

WHOT! Sonic Edition Review brought to you by Gaming Chickadee

Chickadee loves to have family gaming days. She loves birds, unicorns, ponies She also likes the Nancy Drew Games. She loves to play as Princess Daisy in the Super Mario Games, Her favorite games change a lot but right they are: Mario Party Superstars, Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Pretty Princess Party.

The goal is to grab a spoon on the table. The twist is nobody can grab a spoon until at least one player gets 4 of a kind. Also, there is always one less spoon than there are players. The game ends when two players compete for the last spoon.

You need a full deck of cards, preferably with both jokers. Jokers are wild cards, without them the game is possible but takes longer. The next item you need are spoons (pens, coins, or any similar trinket). You need one fewer spoon than there are players. In other words, you need 6 spoons if there are 7 players, 5 spoons if there are 6 players, etc.

Arrange the spoons in a circle toward the middle of the table. At least one spoon should be within reach of each player. Next deal out 4 cards to each player. The dealer keeps the rest of the cards near them.

Once the cards are dealt and the spoons laid out the game begins. The dealer draws one card from the deck and decides whether they want to keep it or not. Then they pass one card to the player on their left. The dealer continues drawing and passing one card at a time to their left. The next player picks up the card and discards one card to the player on their left. Nobody is allowed to have more than 5 cards in their hand at any time. Cards can pile up depending on how fast or slow players pass them.

Play continues around the table in this fashion until one player gets 4 of a kind. Once a player gets 4 of a kind they are allowed to pick up a spoon. Once one player picks up a spoon the other players are allowed to pick up the remaining spoons.

The player to the dealer’s right should avoid mixing their discard pile and the deck the dealer is drawing from. In theory someone should get 4 of a kind before the dealer runs out of cards.

Players are not required to lay down or announce their 4 of a kind until after all the spoons are picked up. They can continue to pick up and pass cards if they wish. Once all the spoons are picked up the round is over and the player without a spoon is eliminated.

After a player is eliminated, one spoon is removed. The remaining spoons are laid out on the table. Deal moves to the player on the left. The next dealer shuffle’s the cards and deals out 4 cards to each player.

Once the cards are dealt and everyone’s ready the dealer begins the round by drawing a card from the deck. Once the dealer starts drawing they don’t stop drawing and passing until all the spoons are picked up. Again, a spoon can’t be picked up until one player gets 4 of a kind (not 4 of the same suit). When all the spoons are picked up the round is over and another player is eliminated.

Each round eliminates one player and one spoon is removed. The final round involves two players and one spoon. The player who grabs the final spoon wins the game.

Keep an eye on the spoons. Players aren’t required to announce their 4 or a kind or stop passing cards once the get 4 of a kind. Some players are very sneaky about grabbing a spoon and letting the round go on.

The idea is to process cards as fast as you can but there isn’t a rule against going slowly. The game is definitely a lot more lively when everyone is passing cards as fast as they can.

There’s also no rule against a bluff or fake grab to distract players. A player is required to show their 4 of a kind at the end of the round so don’t go overboard.

Eliminated players can watch or help players pass cards if there’s a large gap between players.

Spoons can be absolute chaos at times but also terribly fun. The game is simple enough for anyone to learn. It’s definitely a winner and any party. If you enjoy games like Pit or Slap Jack then you should give Spoons a try!

How to Play Spoons Card Game
brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Blink is a fast paced card game for two to four players. Each player tries to shed all cards first. Speed and sight guide the play since there aren’t any turns.

Blink uses a deck with shapes, numbers, and colors. Shuffle and deal out all the cards to each player. Then each player takes the top card off their stack and places it face up in the middle to start a discard pile. After that, each player draws three cards. When everyone is ready, the game begins. Players discard the cards in their hand by matching the color, number, or shape of any card in the discard pile. The game does not use turns, players can play as soon as they see a match.

When a player runs out of cards they draw three more. The round keeps a sharp pace. Each player tries to see links and place their cards fast. The stacks shrink as players set down their cards.

The player who runs out of cards first wins. If both run out at the same time, the game ends in a tie. If you have more than two players you can continue playing until second place, third place, and so on are ranked.

If during the round no one can play, a player can flip the top card of their draw stack and place it on the pile that gave them the block.

Blink is definitely a fast paced card game. If you like chaos, then you’ll love Blink. Our gaming sessions can get out of hand. We use bowls to keep the piles separate. Some players would throw their cards rather excitedly and make a mess.

Blink is easy to learn and playable by a variety of ages. It’s for people who like quick play and loads of fun.

Blink rewards clear sight and quick hands. You can learn the game in a short time. You can play many rounds in one sitting.

How to Play brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Each player seeks to form sets and runs in their hand. A set is three or four cards of the same rank. A run is three or more cards in order in the same suit. The goal is to shape your hand so it’s full of sets or runs before the other player.

Each player draws one card at the start. The high card deals. The dealer gives ten cards to each player then places the rest of the deck face down. Then the dealer turns the top card of the deck face up to start the discard pile.

The non-dealer may take the face-up card or pass. If the non-dealer passes, the dealer may take it or pass. If everyone passes, the non-dealer draws from the deck. Play then moves in turns. At the beginning of a players turn they either draw one card from the deck or the top of the discard pile. Then they discard a card they don’t need to the discard pile to complete their turn.

The players seek to shape sets and runs as they draw and shed deadwood. Once a player fills their hand with sets or runs they lay it down and declare “Gin”. Some people also like to say, “What’s the name of the game?”

The player that goes out doesn’t get any points. The other players cards that aren’t part of a set or run, called deadwood, count against them. Some variations allow players to add their deadwood to the sets or runs of the player that went out to avoid points.

Any leftover cards count against the player. Number cards count as five points. Face cards count as ten. Aces count as one.

The players keep score over many hands. The game ends when a player reaches a set score. The lowest score wins. Typically, 100 is the set score. It can be more or less depending on how long the players want to play.

Gin rewards clear thought. It also rewards sound reads of the other’s play. Watch what other players discard to know what’s safe to discard. Also, watching what they pick up to know what to avoid discarding.

Gin Rummy has been around a long time due to how simple, fast, and fun it is to play with family and friends!

How to Play Gin brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Euchre requires a regular deck of cards but only 9 and up are used. The rest of the deck is not used for play. Score is kept using all the 5’s or some prefer using the 4’s and 6’s. By revealing a mark for each point scored.

Each player gets five cards. The dealer gives the cards in groups of two or three. The rest of the deck stays in the middle. The top card is turned face up. This card helps set the trump suit.

The suit of the face-up card can become trump if anyone “orders it up”. Starting with the player to the left of the dealer, each player can choose to order it up or pass. To order it up means to make that suit trump. Only the dealer picks up the card showing and gets to discards one card.

If all players pass, the dealer can turn the card down. Then, each player can name a different suit as trump. If all pass again, the cards are all thrown in and the dealer deals a new hand.

The player to the left of the dealer leads the first trick. Each player must follow suit if able. The highest card in the suit led wins the trick unless a trump is played. A trump card beats all cards of other suits.

In Euchre, the two top trump cards are the “bowers.” The right bower is the jack of trump. The left bower is the jack of the same color as trump. For example, if hearts are trump, the jack of hearts is the right bower and the jack of diamonds is the left bower.

• Right bower (Jack of suit called)
• Left bower (same color jack of suit called)
• Ace
• King
• Oueen
• 10
• 9

The team that named trump must win at least three tricks to score. Three or four tricks earn one point. Winning all five tricks earns two points. If the other team wins three or more tricks, the calling team is set. The set team gets no points while the other team is awarded two points.

Play continues until one team reaches the ten points. Euchre mixes luck and skill. A good player reads the cards, trusts the partner, and knows when to take a risk.

Players can also “go alone.” This means one player tries to win all five tricks without help from a partner. If successful, the lone player’s team earns four points.

Otherwise the same scoring rules apple : if three or four tricks are taken only one point is scored. If the other team takes three tricks they earn two points.

An optional rule is if a player’s hand is entirely 9’s and 10’s they can throw in that hand and redeal. .

In cases of experienced players, you don’t always have to play out the last few tricks. For example, you can lay down an unbeatable hand such as right bower, left bower, ace, queen, 9. But the other team always has the option to “play it out”.

A general rule of thumb is calling next when a dealer passes on whatever card is showing. For example, if the dealer turns down a king of spades, a good call for the opposing team is clubs.

The opposite is also true for the dealing team. If the dealer turned down the king of spades, a good call for their partner is hearts or diamonds.

This strategy isn’t a guarantee. It assumes you have at least a decent hand to call. However, anytime the card showing is turned down, it’s a good indication of the which team is stronger in which suit, red or black.

Another strategy is calling alone when you’re sure to get 1 point. For example, right bower, left bower, queen, with an ace and 9 for off suit may be worth calling for inexperienced players. Yet, experienced players see that as an alone call.

Euchre is quick, lively, and full of turns. With practice, the rhythm of the game feels natural. It brings friendly rivalry and laughter to the table.

How to Play Eucre brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

500 bid requires four players and a standard deck of cards with a joker. The 2’s, and 3’s of each suit are removed and one joker is added. Once the deck is setup, ten cards are dealt out to each player. The remaining 5 cards are placed face down in the middle. This is the kitty. The winning bid gets to pick up the kitty and discard 5 cards.

The player to the left of the dealer starts the bidding. They can bid or pass. Bidding involves assessing your best suit and how many tricks you think you can take. For example, 6 diamonds.

Each suit is ranked. Spades are lowest, followed by clubs, diamonds, and hearts. No trump is higher than hearts. This means a bid of 7 spades is necessary to outbid 6 diamonds. The lowest bid is 6 spades and the highest bid possible is 10 no trump. Here is the bidding from lowest to highest:

• 6 Spades is worth 140 points
• 6 Clubs is worth 160 points
• 6 Diamonds is worth 180 points
• 6 Hearts is worth 200 points
• 6 No trump 220 points
• 7 Spades is worth 240 points
• 7 Clubs is worth 260 points
• 7 Diamonds is worth 280 points
• 7 Hearts is worth 300 points
• 7 No trump is worth 320 points
• 8 Spades is worth 340 points
• 8 Clubs is worth 360 points
• 8 Diamonds is worth 380 points
• 8 Hearts is worth 400 points
• 8 No trump is worth 420 points
• 9 Spades is worth 440 points
• 9 Clubs is worth 460 points
• 9 Diamonds is worth 480 points
• 9 Hearts is worth 500 points
• 9 No trump is worth 520 points
• 10 Spades is worth 540 points
• 10 Clubs is worth 560 points
• 10 Diamonds is worth 580 points
• 10 Hearts is worth 600 points
• 10 No trump is worth 620 points

Bids typically go between 6 and 8. I’ve seen 9 bids few times, and even a 10 bid once. But those are exceedingly rare. Players have to outbid the first bid or pass. The bidding keeps going until every player has passed.

In 500 bid the joker is always the highest ranked card, even with no trump. The joker becomes the highest card for whatever suit was bid. Followed by the bowers. The right bower is the jack of the suit bid while the left bower is the jack of the other color of the suit called.

For example, if hearts was bid the rank of the cards would be the joker, jack of hearts, jack of diamonds, ace of hearts, king of hearts, queen of hearts, 10 of hearts, 9 of hearts, and on down.

For no trump the only trump card is technically the joker. The rest of the round depends on what suit is lead. Any ace is high, followed by the king, queen, jack, 10, 9, and on down. There aren’t any bowers in no trump. Only the joker can take a trick if the player doesn’t have to follow suit.

The player that won the bidding gets to pick up the kitty and discard 5 cards. Short suiting, or discarding the lowest cards is the best practice.

That player also gets to lead. They can lead with trump, in fact leading with the joker is usually a good idea. Players all have to follow whatever suit was lead. The high card played wins that trick. The winner also gets to lead for the next trick.

The round ends when all 10 tricks are played. Each team counts their tricks to assess their score.

The team that won the bid has to win an equal amount of tricks or greater in order to get points. They are awarded the amount of points for their bid even if they took more tricks than their bid. If they fall short of their bid they are set and lose the amount of points they bid.

The other team is only awarded 10 points for each trick won. There aren’t any bags in this game. Taking more than your bid is just leaving points on the table.

Getting the lead and the kitty is usually an advantage. So this game tends to favor the people who are bold at bidding. However, reckless bidding results in being set frequently.

Bidding involves paying attention to the cards in your hand as well as what others are bidding. If everyone passes, the kitty may have some hidden gems. If one team is bidding red (hearts/diamonds), you and your partner usually are better off calling black (spades/clubs).

Having 6 or more trump, even low cards means the other players probably have little trump. It only takes one or two leads of trump to bleed everyone out of trump, making low end cards valuable. Having 7 or 8 trump plus an ace makes for a good hand, even without a joker or bower.

Usually what you should bid jumps out at you. Generally, having more trump is better than having higher trump. For example, having joker, left bower, plus several more trump is better than having joker, right bower, and only one more trump.

I also consider, what kind of shape I would be in for each suit if I didn’t get the bid. Maybe, a setting hand is better to pass with.

I like 500 bid because it seems to involve more skill than Euchre. Bidding alone involves a lot of skill assessing your hand, your partner’s skill, your opponents bids, and guessing what’s in the kitty.

It requires keeping track of what trump cards have been played and what trump cards have yet to be played. Plus watching what the other players are throwing informs you of how the last few tricks may go down.

Overall, 500 bid involves complicated bidding and scorekeeping, however, it’s still a lot of fun to play. A very rewarding game to play with friends or family.

How to Play 500 Bid brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

In Spades, spades is always trump. Which makes it easy to remember. Bidding and score keeping are also straightforward. Learning Spades definitely makes learning the more complicated trump games easier. Still, Spades is fun enough on it’s own.

Spades is a card game requiring four people. It’s a basic version of other trump type card games such as Euchre, 500 Bid, or Bridge. The bidding is simple and so is the score keeping compared to other card games.

Start with a regular deck of 52 cards and 4 players. Decide who is to deal first then deal out all the cards. Once everyone looks at their cards and is ready the bidding begins. The person to the left of the dealer bids first. They asses how many tricks they can take. Each lead of cards is a trick. High card or trump wins the trick.

Players can bid between 0 and 13, however bidding between 2 and 5 is very common.

Bidding 0 or nil is a strategic move where the player attempts to take zero tricks. This is generally only successful when you have 2 or less trump, have a lot of one suit, or very few high cards. A successful nil bid wins 100 points. Not getting a nil bid loses 100 points.

If you’re not sure what to bid, a general rule of thumb is to count how many spades you have and bit that. A better way is to count aces, kings, and any more than 3 trump. Other factors to consider are being short suited, or heavy suited. For example, say you have 6 diamonds in your hand with ace, king, queen. The ace of diamonds is probably good for one trick, but the king is likely to get trumped.

Once everyone has bid the scorekeeper writes it down. It’s up to you and your partner to take the exact number of bids your team made. If you take less than you bid you lose however many points you bid. Taking extra tricks results in “bags”. Once your team accumulates 10 bags you lose 100 points. It’s best to take exactly the number of tricks you bid.

Once the scoring is recorded, the round begins. The player to the left of the dealer leads. Whatever suit is lead has to be followed. Each player throws one card in the trick. The high card of the suit lead wins or any spade thrown. The player that takes the trick gets to lead the next hand.

Spades can’t be lead until they’re broken or that’s all you have in your hand. Spades are broken when a player runs out of the suit lead and decides to use a spade.

The round ends when once everyone has played all their cards. Then each team counts how many tricks they took (max 13). If you got your bid then you get your bid x10 points. For example, if you bid 6 and took 6 tricks you get 60 points. If you bid 5 and took 7 tricks, then you get 52 points. Each bag only counts as 1 point.

If your team bid 7 and only took 6 tricks, then you lose 60 points. For a nil bid you get 100 points plus whatever your partner bid. For example, if you bid nil and your partner bid 4 then you would get 140 points as long as you didn’t take any tricks and your partner got 4 tricks.

Any tricks over your bid results in a bag and only counts as 1 point. Once you accumulate 10 or more points your team loses 100 points. The first team to 500 points wins.

Be sure to bid as accurately as you can. Pay attention to the total bid each round. If there’s only 9 or 10 bids total, there’s a lot of bags for that round. Which means it’s likely you’ll get your bid so don’t play as aggressively. Avoid taking extra tricks by dumping high cards or trump.

Conversely, if there’s 12 or 13 bids be sure to play as aggressively as you can. It’s likely one team will get set (not make their bid) when there’s 13 bids total.

Some players tend to develop habits such as underbidding or overbidding. Take your partners style into account when bidding. If your partner bids nil a good strategy is to bid a bit more since there tends to be a lot of bags during a nil bid round.

Spades is a fun card game that requires a bit of skill to win. It’s a fairly simple game to learn and very rewarding to play with friends.

How to Play Spades brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Hearts was such a popular card game it was standard with the Windows OS. Windows 7 was the last operating system to include Hearts. Hearts isn’t as well known since Windows switched to an online version. Which is too bad since Hearts is such a fun game to play. I never liked the online version since the first person to get the queen usually dropped out and by the end of the game you wound up playing computers anyway.

Whether you play computers or in person, Hearts is definitely a classic game everyone should try out.

The goal of Hearts is to avoid taking points. Each Heart is worth 1 point and the queen of spades is worth 13 points. The game ends when the first player reaches 100 points.

Ideally, Hearts is played with 4 players, however, by modifying the deck you can play with 3 to 5 players.

Start with an ordinary deck of 52 cards, no jokers. For four players no modification is necessary. If you have three players take out the two of clubs. If you have five players take out the two of clubs and the two of diamonds.

Choose a player to deal. There are several ways to choose, such as everyone drawing a card and the high card wins, youngest player, oldest player, player with the most recent birthday, etc. Shuffle the deck and deal out all the cards. The person to the dealers left starts the play.

They can lead with any Club, Spade, or Diamond in their hand. Hearts can’t be lead until Hearts are broken (explained later). Players have to follow the suit lead and the high card wins the trick.

The player that wins the trick now has the lead. The game continues as such until everyone is out of cards. Every player must follow the suit lead unless they don’t have any cards of that suit. Then they can throw whatever card in their hand they want.

The first time a player is able to throw a Heart into a trick, Hearts are broken. The player with the high card of the suit lead wins that trick and the points from that trick. The queen of spades qualifies as a Heart. Once Hearts are broken, Hearts can be lead.

Again, the high card from the suit lead always wins the trick. There is no trump. If the four of diamonds is lead and no other diamonds are played, then the four of diamonds wins the trick.

After all the cards are played it’s time to count the points. Each heart counts as one point and the queen of spades counts as 13 points. The game ends when a player earns 100 or more points. The winner is the player with the least amount of points.

Another rule of Hearts is passing cards after they’re dealt but before the round begins. Each player takes three cards they don’t want and passes them to another player. The first pass is left, the second pass is right, the third pass is across, and there is no pass for the fourth deal.

So after the first deal, all players pass three cards to the left. The second deal players pass three cards to the right. The third deal players pass three cards to the player across from them. The fourth deal players hold their cards and don’t pass any. This passing (or no passing) continues until the game ends.

Another rule of Hearts is shooting the moon. This is when a player takes all 13 hearts and the queen of spades. That player doesn’t get any points, instead all the other players get 26 points.

This isn’t easy. All a player has to do is take one heart to spoil another player’s run at the moon. Usually, it requires a lot of high cards or a very large portion of a single suit to shoot the moon.

Hearts is an easy game for all ages. It only requires a standard deck of cards. If you’re looking for a fun game then look no further than Hearts!

How to Play Hearts brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.