Contents
The Real Deal Contents

Games  - An overview of rules for each of the card games.

Change Rules options  - Customizing the games to your preferences.

Saving and Loading Games - How to save a game and complete it later.

Records - Player records for each of the games.

Options   - Options for playing games.

Multiplayers  - Playing with friends over a modem or TCP/IP network.

Meet the players - Meet the 12 computer players to choose from.

Glossary - Glossary of common card terminology.


List of Games

Crazy Eights

Spades

Auction Pitch

Hearts

Cribbage

Euchre

Whist

Oh Hell

Thirty-one

Pinochle


Rules - Crazy Eights
Crazy_Eights

PLAYERS - From two to four

PACK - 52 cards.

DEAL - With two players, deal seven cards to each.  With more players, deal five to each.  The balance of the pack, placed face down in the center of the table, forms the stock.  After all hands are dealt, dealer turns up the top card of the stock and places it in a separate pile.  This card is the starter.

PLAY - Each player in turn must place one card face up on the starter pile.  If unable to play, a player must draw cards from the top of the stock until she can, or until the stock is exhausted.  If unable to play when the stock is exhausted, a player passes her turn.  A player may draw from the stock if she wishes, even though able to play.

Each card played (other than an eight) must match the card showing on the starter pile, either in suit or in denomination.  Thus, any club may be played on any club;  any queen on any queen.  The eights are wild; that is, an eight may be played at any time in turn, and the player specifies a suit for which it calls (never a denomination).  The following player must play either a card of the specified suit or an eight.

OBJECT OF PLAY - To get rid of all cards in the hand.  The player who first succeeds wins the game, and collects from each other player the value of her remaining cards computed on this count:

Each eight	50

Each King, Queen, Jack or Ten	10

Each Ace	1

Each other card	pip value

NOTE: Rule options can affect the point values of the cards.  For example:

If 2 makes next player draw 2	25

If jack skips next player’s turn	25

If king reverses direction	25

If the game ends in a block, no hand being able to play and the stock being exhausted, the player with the lowest count in her remaining cards collects from each other player the difference of the counts.  Players who tie divide the winnings.


Rules - Spades
Spades

PLAYERS - Four, in two partnership.

CARDS - A pack of 52.  The cards rank A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.  Spades are always trumps.

DEAL - Each player receives thirteen cards.

BIDDING - Beginning with the eldest hand, each player in turn bids the number of tricks she expects to win, from the total possible of thirteen.  Her bid, plus her partner’s, constitutes the contract of the partnership.  The total does not have to equal thirteen tricks.

A player may choose to bid NIL, indicating the intention not to win any tricks.  After a player has bid Nil, she discards three cards from her hand, face down, in the center of the table.  If her partner has already bid, her partner then gives her three cards from her hand and picks up the three discards; otherwise, partner must wait until after she has bid to exchange.

If both partners bid Nil, there is no exchange.

PLAY -   Eldest hand leads first and may lead any suit except spades, which may not be led until the suit has been “broken” by a spade discard on a previous trick (unless the player has no other suit to lead).  Players must follow suit if possible.  A trick is won by the highest trump or by the highest card of the suit led.  Each trick is kept by the player winning it.

SCORING - The object of the game is to fulfill the contract bid by the partnership.  If one partner has bid Nil, her contract and her partner’s are scored independently, and then the scores are combined.

Tricks count 10 points each for a partnership if the contract is made, 10 against if it is set.  (Negative scores are possible.)  Tricks won in excess of the contract count 1 each.  A bid of Nil scores a bonus of 100 point s if made or a penalty of that amount if set.

If both partners bid Nil the partnership receives 200 points if both make their contracts, but there is no score if either or both are set.

Game consist of 500 points.  If both sides go over 500 points in the same hand, the side with the larger total score is the winner.


Rules - Auction Pitch
Auction Pitch

OBJECT OF THE GAME - To be the first player to reach a total of 7 points.  Points are scored as follows:

High. 	One point for the highest trump in play.

Low.  One point for winning the lowest trump in a trick.  (Variant. Many play that the player dealt the Low counts for the point.)

Jack.  	One point for winning the trick on which the jack of trumps is played, no matter to whom it was dealt.

Game.  One point for winning in tricks scoring cards to the greatest value, each ten counting 10 points, each ace 4, each king 3 each queen 	2, each jack 1.  If the trump jack is not in play, no one counts it.  If two or more players tie for game, no one counts the point for game.

PLAYERS - Four.  Each plays for herself.

PACK - 52 cards.

CARDS - A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 4, 3, 2.

DEAL - Each player receives six cards.

BIDDING - Eldest hand bids first.  Each player in rotation may either bid or pass; the lowest bid is two, and each successive bid must be higher than any preceding bid, except that the dealer may become the maker for the amount of the last preceding bid without bidding over.  However, if any player bids four she is said to smudge, and the bid cannot be taken away from her.

THE PLAY - The pitcher (highest bidder, or dealer if she assumes the contract at the highest preceding bid) leads to the first trick.  The suit of the card she leads becomes the trump suit.  On a trump lead, each other hand must follow suit if able; on any other lead, a player may either follow suit or trump, as she prefers.  When unable to follow suit, a player may play any card - she need not trump.  The player of the highest trump, or the highest card of the suit led if the tricks contains no trump, wins the trick and leads first to the next trick.

SCORING - When all six tricks have been played, the points due each player are ascertained.  The first player to reach a plus score of 7 points wins the game.  The pitcher’s score is counted first, so that if she and another player reach 7 on the same hand, the pitcher wins even though the other player has a higher total score.  If two players other than the pitcher could reach 7 on the same hand, the points are counted in this order: High, Low, Jack, Game.

Smudge.  A players who smudges and who makes her contract by winning all 4 points ends the game immediately, unless she was in the hole before she made her bid, in which case she receives only the 4 points.


Rules - Hearts
Hearts

OBJECT OF PLAY -  To avoid winning in tricks any heart or the spade queen (or called Black Lady or Black Maria).

PLAYERS - Four.  Each plays for herself.

PACK - 52 Cards.

CARDS - A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.

DEAL - Each player receives 13 cards.

THE PASS - After looking at her hand, each player selects any three cards and passes them face down to her left-hand neighbor.  Rule options can be set to alternate the passing sequence, or not have any passing at all.

THE PLAY - The player who holds the deuce of clubs leads the first trick (a rule option can be set to have the eldest hand always make the opening lead).  Each hand must follow suit to a lead if able; if unable, a hand may discard any card.  A trick is won by the highest card of the suit led.  The winner of a trick leads to the next.  (There is no trump suit.  Hearts are sometimes called “Trumps” but do not actually have the privilege of a trump suit.)

SCORING - Each heart counts 1 and the spade queen counts 13.  However, if a player takes all the hearts, along with the queen of spades (shoot the moon), 26 points are subtracted from this player’s score.


Rules - Cribbage
Cribbage

PLAYERS  Two.

CARDS.  A regular pack of 52. The cards are used chiefly as numbers. Each face card represents 10, each ace 1, each other card its index value.  Face cards and tens are called “tenth cards.”

DEAL.  Each player receives six cards.

CRIB.  From  her hand each player selects two cards and the four cards are placed face down.  They form the crib, an extra hand that belongs to the dealer.

STARTER.  After the crib is laid away, the top card of the lower portion is turned up, this card is the starter.  If it is a jack, dealer pegs (scores) 2 points.

 CRIBBAGE BOARD.  Scores accrue so rapidly that a special scoring device is used, a Cribbage Board.  As shown, the board is an oblong panel having four rows of 30 holes each, plus some extra game holes at one end.    Each player uses two pegs, which at the outset are placed in the game holes.  Each item of score is marked by jumping the rearward peg ahead of the other by a corresponding number of holes.  The pegs are marched away from the head of the board (the end with the game holes)  along an outer row of holes, then back along an inner row.  The game is played for a total of 121, which is “twice around” the board.

THE PLAY - The nondealer begins by playing any card, announcing its point value, as “Ten” if she leads a face card or ten.  Dealer then plays a card, announcing the total of the two cards, as “Seventeen” if she plays a seven.  Play continues alternately, the new total being announced each time, until the player in turn is unable to play without carrying the total over thirty-one.  she must then say “Go.” The other pegs for the go (as explained below); then the player who called the go must lead again for a new series of plays.  The count begins again at zero, and again the total must not be carried beyond thirty-one.

After go is called, the other must play additional cards if she can do so without exceeding thirty-one.  Thus the same player may play two or three times in succession.  For making exactly thirty-one the player pegs 2; for a go at less than thirty-one she pegs 1.  Playing the last card of all (of the eight in play) counts 1 for last, or 2 if it makes thirty-one.

SCORING IN PLAY.  Other points may be scored in play besides the go’s .  These are as follows:

Fifteen.  For making the count fifteen, peg 2.

Pairs.  For playing a card of same rank as the at just played, peg 2.  (Pairing goes by rank, e.g., a king with a king, not with a queen, though both have the point value of 10.)  For playing the third card of a rank (pair royal) peg 6, and for playing the fourth (double pair royal) peg 12.

Runs.  For playing a card that is in sequence of rank with two or more played just previously, peg the number of cards in the run (sequence).  For example, if the cards played are 4, 6, 5, the last player pegs 3 for run plus 2 for fifteen.  The cards need not be played in sequential order to score for run, so long as no foreign cards intervene.  For example, if the cards played are 4, K, 6, 5 there is no run.

Showing.  By showing is meant counting and scoring a hand.  The hands are shown in strict order:  nondealer, dealer’s hand, crib.

The starter is treated as a fifth card belonging to each of these three hands.  The combinations that score are as follows:

Fifteen.  For each combination of cards that total fifteen, score 2.  “Combination” here is meant in the strict sense.  Thus, a hand (with starter) of 9, 8, 7, 7, 6 has three combinations of fifteen: 9 and 6, 8 with one 7, 8 with the other 7.  A hand of J, 5, 5, 5, 5, has no less than eight combinations of fifteen: four of J and 5, four of three 5’s.

Pairs.  For a pair, score 2; for three of a kind (called pair royal), 6: for four of a kind (double pair royal), 12.

Runs.  For each combination that makes a run of three or more, peg the number of cards in the run.  In the hand 9, 8, 7, 7, 6 there are 8 points for two runs of four, using the 7’s in turn.

Flush.  For four cards in hand (not crib, and excluding the start)  of the same suit, score 4, or 5 if the starter is also of the same suit.  For crib and starter all of the same suit, score 5.

His Nobs.  For a jack in hand, of same suit as the starter, score 1.  The jack scored as starter by dealer is called his heels.

Other standard combinations counts as follows for runs and pairs alone (exclusive of fifteen’s and other items).

Double run, as K, Q, Q, J, scores 8.

Double run of four, as K, Q, Q, J, 10, scores 10.

Triple run, as K, Q, Q, Q, J, scores 15.

Quadruple run, as K, Q, Q, J, J, scores 16.

Game.  When a player pegs into the game hole that gives her 121 points, she wins the game forthwith - nothing more is scored.  If the loser has not passed the halfway mark- has not reach 61 - she is lurched.


Rules - Euchre
Euchre

PLAYERS - Four players; two against two as partners.

PACK- 32 cards (A, K, Q, 10, 9, 8, 7 of each suit), or 28 cards (7’s omitted), or 24 cards (7’s and 8’s omitted).

RANK OF CARDS - The highest trump is the jack of the trump suit, called right bower.  The second-highest trump is the jack of the other suit of the same color as the trump, called left bower. The remaining trumps, and also the plain suites, rank as follows:  A (high), K, Q, (J), 10, 9, 8, 7.

DEAL - Each player receives five cards.

THE TURN-UP - On completing the deal, dealer places the rest of the pack in the center of the table and turns the top card face up.  Should the turn-up be accepted as trump, regardless of by whom, dealer has the right to exchange the turn-up for any card in her hand.

MAKING THE TRUMP -  Commencing with eldest hand, each player to the left has the option of passing or of accepting the turn-up for trump.  An opponent of dealer accepts by saying “I order it up.”  Partner of dealer accepts by saying “I assist.”  Dealer accepts by saying “I take it up.”

Dealer signifies refusal of the turn-up by removing the card from the top and placing it (face up) partially underneath the pack; this is called turning it down.  When all four players pass in the first round, each hand in turn, commencing with eldest, has the option of passing again or of naming the trump suit.  The rejected suit may not be named.  Declaring the other suit of the same color as the reject is called making it next; declaring a suit of opposite color is called crossing it.  If all four players pass in the second round, the cards are reshuffled,  and the next dealer in turn deals.

Once the trap is fixed, either by acceptance of the turn-up or declaration after it is rejected, the bidding ends and play begins.

PLAYING ALONE - The player who fixes the trump suit has the option of playing alone, without help of her partner’s cards.  If she wishes to exercise this option, she must declare “alone” distinctly at the time she makes the trump.  Her partner then turns her cards face down and does not participate in the play.

PLAY - The opening lead is made by the eldest hand, or by the player at her left if partner of elect hand is playing alone.  Each hand must follow suit to a lead if able; if unable, the hand may trump or discard at will.  A trick is won by the highest trump.  The winner of a trick leads to the next.

OBJECT OF PLAY -  To win at least three tricks.  If the side that made the trump fails to get three tricks, it is said to be euchred.  Winning all five tricks is called a march.

SCORING - If you take three or four tricks, you get one point.  If you win a march, two points.  If your opponents make three or more tricks, they score two points.

When playing alone, four points are given for winning a march.  Only one point is awarded, however, if only three or four tricks are taken.

GAME - 5, 7 or 10 points as agreed.  In 5 point game a side is said to be at the bridge when it has scored 4 and opponents have scored 2 or less.


Rules - Whist
Whist

PLAYERS - Four, two against two as partners.

CARDS - A regular pack of 52.  The cards rank  A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.

DEAL -  All but one card is dealt, 13 to each player.  The remaining card is placed face up, and its suit indicates the trump.  After the trump is displayed, the dealer takes the trump card and play commences.

OBJECT OF PLAY -  To win tricks.

PLAY - The player at dealer’s left makes the first lead, and may lead any card.  Each player in turn thereafter must play a card, following suit if able.  If not able to follow suit a player may play any card.  Four cards so played (including the card led) constitute a trick.

A trick containing any trump is won by the player of the highest trump;  a trick not  containing a trump is won by the player of the highest card of the suit led.  The winner of each trick leads to the next.

SCORING - Each odd-trick (trick in excess of six) counts one point for the side winning it.


Rules - Oh Hell
Oh Hell

PLAYERS.  Four, each plays for herself.

CARDS.  A regular pack of 52.  In each suit the cards rank: A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.

THE GAME.  A game comprises a fixed number of deals.  In the first deal, each player receives one card; in the second deal, two; and so on.  From the rule options, you can set the starting and ending deal.

DEAL.  Each player receives the set number of cards for the hand.  She then turns the next card of the pack face up; this turn-up fixes the trump suit for that deal.  The rest of the pack is laid aside and is not used during that deal.  In the last deal of a game the trump card is not turned, the hands being played out at no-trump.

THE BIDDING.   The player at left of the dealer bids first.  Each player in turn must make a bid (he cannot pass);  she bids the number of tricks that she will undertake to win.  She may bid zero if she pleases.  The size of the bid is limited by the number of cards per hand.  In the first deal, the only possible bids are one and zero.  In the last deal of the game, the bids may range from zero to thirteen.

PLAY.  The player at left of the dealer makes the opening lead.  The hands are played out in tricks.  A hand must follow suit to a lead, if able; if unable to follow suit, the hand may play any card.  A trick is won by the highest trump in it, or if it contains no trump, by the highest card played of the suit led.  The winner of a trick leads to the next.

SCORING      A player does not fulfill her bid by winning more tricks than she bid.  To score, she must win the exact number she bid.  She busts if she takes either more or less.  A player that fulfills her bid scores 10 plus the number of cards in the hand.


Rules - Thirty-one
Thirty-one

PLAYERS.   Four, each plays for herself.

CARDS -  A regular pack of 52.  The cards rank A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.

DEAL - Each player receives three cards.  The next card is played face up in the center to create the discard pile.

POINTS - All players begin the game with an equal number of points (which can be set as a rule option).

PLAY.   The object of the game is to collect cards in one’s hand totaling as close to 31 as possible in the same suit.  Aces count 11, face count 10, and all other cards count their face value.

Starting with the player to dealer’s left, each player draws the top card of either the stock or the discard pile and then discards one card from her hand onto the discard pile.  Play continues until a player either knocks or draws a blitz.

KNOCKING.  At her turn, a player who thinks she has enough points to beat her opponents may knock.  She signals her intention by rapping on the table, and does not draw any cards.  The remaining players then have one more opportunity to draw (or stand without drawing), after which all players show their hands.  The lowest hand loses one point; if two or more hands share low count, each loses one point.

BLITZ.  Any player who is dealt or later obtains by draw a hand consisting of the A, K, and 10 of the same suit (sometimes called a blitz) shows it at her first opportunity in her turn, whereupon each of the other players loses one point, and the hand ends.  (A rule option can be set so that any hand totaling 31 points is handled this way.)

GAME.  When a player has lost all of her points, she may continue to play “on her honor” until she loses again, at which point she is out of the game.  The last player remaining in the game wins.

ADDITIONAL RULES.  When only two players remain and knocker is tied in points by the other player, if one or both players are on their honor, the hand containing the highest ranking card among is counting cards wins.  If these two cards tie, then the next-highest ranking card among her counting cards wins.  If these two cards tie, then the next-highest-ranking card decides.  If the hands are identical, then the game is a draw and the two players each get a win.

If the stock is exhausted in the course of play, the top card of the discard pile begins a new discard pile and the remaining cards are tuned face down without shuffling to form a new stock, and play continues.


Rules - Pinochle
Pinochle

Partnership Auction Pinochle

PLAYERS	Four, in two partnerships.

PACK - The 48-card Pinochle pack.

DEAL  - Each player receives twelve cards.

BIDDING - Each player in turn, beginning without the player to the left of the dealer, can either bid or pass.  Once you pass, you may not enter the bidding.  All bids must be numbers in multiples of 10, with 150 the minimum bid allowed.  No suit is mentioned.  The Bidder (high bidder) then names the trump suit for that deal.

MELDING. ....(means “announce” in German)  All four players may meld.  In addition, double melds have extra value:

Possible melds include a flush, comprising the ace, ten, king, queen, and jack of trumps; a royal marriage, which is the king and queen of trumps;  a simple marriage, comprising the king and queen of any nontrump suit, and a pinochle, composed of the queen of spades and the jack of diamonds.  Four aces, kings, queens, or jacks, each from a different suit, provide points, and nines of the trump suit can also be melded.

Flush	150

Royal Marriage	40

Simple Marriage	20

Pinochle	40

Four aces	100

Four kings	80

Four queens	60

Four jacks	40

Nine of trumps	10

Double flush	1500

All eight aces	1000

All eight kings	800

All eight queens	600

All eight jacks	400

Double pinochle	300

Partners must meld separately; they may not pool their cards to build up joint melds.  However, their separate melds are totaled and a note is made of the amount.  A team does not received credit for its melds until it wins a trick.  The trick must contain a counting card.

PLAY - All players next pick up their melds, and the highest bidder makes the opening lead.  A hand must follow suit to a lead if able.  When a non trump is led, a hand void of that suit must play a trump, if able.  A player must try to win a trick if able.  A trick is won by the highest trump in it, or, if it contains no trump, by the highest card played of the suit led.  Of duplicate cards the one played first ranks higher.  The winner of a trick leads to the next.

The object in play is to win cards of scoring value. Winning the last trick counts 10 points.

SCORING - Each team counts up what it has won in tricks, and to this amount adds the value of its melds (if it has won any trick).  Bidder’s opponents add their total into their accumulated score.  If the Bidder’s team won at least the amount of the bid, the number of points made is added to its running score.  If the bid was defeated, the amount bid is deducted from the team’s score.

Cards won in tricks have various values.  The option to use either the original or simplified scoring rules is provided.

Original	Simplified

Ace	11	10

Ten	10	10

King	4	10

Queen	3	0

Jack	2	0

Nine	0	0

GAME - The team that first reaches a total of 1,000 points wins a game.  If both sides reach or exceed 1,000 at the end of a deal, the Bidders side wins.

DOUBLE PACK PINOCHLE

CARDS - A pack of 80: four cards of each rank in each suit - A (high) 10, K, Q, J.  (Shuffle two regular Pinochle packs after discarding the nines.)

DEAL - Each player receives twenty cards.

BIDDING - The minimum bid is 500.  Players may increase their bids.

MELDS -  Besides the basic melds the following are allowed, with increased values:

Double flush	1500	Triple flush	2250

Doubles aces 	1000	Triple kings	1200

Double kings	800	Triple queens	900

Double queens	600	Triple jacks	600

Double jacks	400	Double pinochle	300

Triple aces	1500	Triple pinochle	450

(three of each suit)	Quadruple pinochle	3000

Quadruple aces, etc., count merely as two double melds.  A team’s melds do not count unless they have won a trick (which must contain a counting card).

SCORING - The point values of the cards are;  10 for each ace, ten, and king; nothing for queens and jacks.  Last trick counts 20.  The points in the pack total 500 including last trick.

If the bidding side wins, in melds and tricks, at least what it has bid, it scores all it makes.  If the bid is defeated, the amount of the bid is deducted from its score.  The other side scores all it makes, in either case.

The team that first reaches a total of 5000 points wins a game.  If both sides reach or exceed 5000 at the end of a deal, the bidding team wins.


Change Rules Options

Crazy Eights

Spades

Auction Pitch

Hearts

Cribbage

Euchre

Whist

Oh Hell

31 (Thirty-One)

Pinochle


Rule Options - Crazy Eights
Crazy Eights Rule Options

Winning Score - Set the number of points needed to win the game.  Enter a value from 1 to 10,000.

Two played makes next player draw two - When this option is set, a player must draw two cards whenever the previous player discards a 2.  This also causes the value of the two to go from 2 to 25 when left in a player’s hand.

Jack makes next player lose turn - When this option is set, a player’s turn is skipped when the previous player plays a jack.  This also causes the value of the jack to go from 10 to 25 when left in a player’s hand.

King changes directions - When this option is set, and there are at least three players playing, a king causes the direction of play to be reversed.  This also causes the value of the king to go from 10 to 25 when left in a player’s hand.

Only draw one if you cannot play - When this option is set, you are only allowed to draw one card if you cannot play.  If you still cannot play after drawing, you must pass your turn.  When this option is not set, you must continue to draw until you can either play or no more cards remain in the deck.


Rule Options - Spades
Spades Rule Options

Winning score - Set the number of points need to win the game.  Enter a value from 1 to 10,000.

Team play - When this option is set, there are two teams, each with two players.  The players must win as many tricks as their combined bid.  When this option in not set, each player plays for herself.

Spade lead allowed on first trick - When this option is set, a spade can be led on the first trick.  This does not constitute “breaking” spades (you cannot lead a spade on the second trick).  When not set, no spades can be led until they are broken, or the leader has only spades remaining in her hand.

Bidding - Choose from one of the following minimum bid options:

•	No minimum bid - A player can bid any number (0-13).  See nil options below for information a  zero bid.

•	Minimum bid of 1 - A player must bid at least one.  If a nil option below is set, the player can still bid nil.

•	Minimum bid of 2 - A player must bid at least two.  If a nil option below is set, the player can still bid nil.

Nil Bidding - A nil bid is one is which the player states that she is going to win 0 tricks.  Winning any tricks is a “bust”, and 100 points are deducted from here score.  Choose from one of the following 3 options:

•	None - A zero bid constitutes a normal bid.  Scoring is done as with any other bid.  Note that a zero bid is only allowed in the bidding option above is set to no minimum bid.

•	Nil w/o passing - A player may bid nil.  She must win no tricks with the hand that she was dealt.

•	Nil with passing - A player may bid nil.  If team play is set, the playing exchanges any three cards with her teammate.  If both teammates bid nil, no exchange is allowed.


Rule Options - Auction Pitch
Auction Pitch Rule Options

Winning Score - Set the number of points needed to win a game.  You can choose from 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, or 15.

Lowest Point - Select from one of the following two options:

•	Won - The player who wins the lowest trump in a trick scores 1 point

•	Dealt - The player dealt the lowest trump scores 1 point

Smudge - When this option is set, a player who bids (and scores) all 4 points wins the game immediately (unless she currently has a negative score, then only 4 points are awarded).  If this option is not set, 4 points are awarded as usual.

Dealer can take bid by matching - When this option is set, the dealer can become the maker by matching the highest bid.  When not set, the dealer must beat the highest bid to become the maker.

Maker must bid at least 2 - When this option is set, you must bid at least 2 to become the maker.  When not set, a player can bid 1 and become maker.

Stick it to the dealer - When this option is set, a dealer is required to become maker if no one else has bid.  When not set, the dealer can pass, and the hand will be passed out.  The next dealer deals a new hand.


Rule Options - Hearts
Hearts Rule Options

End Score - Set a value from 25 to 10,000.  Once someone reaches this score, the game is over, and the player with the lowest score wins.

Deuce of clubs leads first trick - When this option is set, the player who holds the deuce of clubs leads the first trick.  If this is not set, the player to the left of the dealer always leads the first trick.

Hearts must be broken before led - When this options is set, a player cannot lead hearts until hearts are broken by being played on a non-heart trick (unless the leading player only has hearts remaining).  If the option is not set, hearts can be led anytime.

Point cards allowed on first trick - When this option is set, no point cards can be played on the first trick.   If the option is not set, point cards are allowed on the first trick.

Score exactly the ending makes the score 0 - When this option is set, your score will return to 0 if you reach the exact ending score.  For example, if the ending score is 100, and at the end of a hand you have a total of 100 points, your score will be set to 0.

Quit hand after all points have been played - When this options is set, the hand will end once all point cards have been played.  If not set, the hand is always played to completion.

Passing - Choose from the following four options:

•	Left - Always pass to the player on your left

•	Left, Right, Across - Alternate passing from left, right, then across

•	Left, Right, Across, None - Alternate passing from left, right, across, and none

•	None - There is no passing of cards prior to play

Shooting - Choose from the following two options when a player “shoots the moon” (wins all hearts and the queen of spades):

•	Add 26 to everyone else’s score

•	Deduct 26 from the shooters score


Rule Options - Cribbage
Cribbage Rule Options

Cribbage Board - Choose from one of the three available cribbage boards:

•	Standard Board

•	Racetrack

•	S-Shape

Winning Score - You can set the winning cribbage score to either 61 or 121.  One trip around the cribbage board is 61, so 121 would be two trips.  Note that if you use the racetrack and play to 121, it skips the finish hole on the first trip. (Otherwise the game would go to 122).


Rule Options - Euchre
Euchre Rule Options

Winning Score - Set the number of points needed to win the game.  Enter a value from 1 to 10,000.

Team Play - When this option is set, there are two teams, each with two players.   When this option in not set, each player plays for herself.

Deck Size - Choose the size of the deck:

•	32 (game is played with cards 7 through Ace)

•	28 (game is played with cards 8 through Ace)

•	24 (game is played with cards 9 through Ace)


Rule Options - Whist
Whist Rule Options

Winning Score - Set the number of points needed to win the game.  Enter a value from 1 to 10,000.

Team Play - When this option is set, there are two teams, each with two players.   When this option in not set, each player plays for herself.


Rule Options - Oh Hell
Oh Hell Rule Options

Starting number of cards - The number of cards dealt in the first hand.

Ending number of cards - The number of cards dealt in the last hand.

For example, you could have starting number of cards 1, and ending number of cards 13 to play a normal game of Oh Hell.  You could reverse the game by setting starting number of cards to 13, and ending number of cards to 1.  If you want to play a shorter game, you could set starting number of cards to 7, and ending number of cards to 13.

Bid zero options - Choose from one of the following choices for scoring when a player bids 0 and wins 0 tricks:

•	0 scores 10 points - A successful bid of zero is always scored as 10 points

•	0 scores 5 plus number of cards - A successful bid of zero is scored as 5 plus the number of cards dealt in this hand.  Scoring zero should be progressively harder each hand, so you will receive more in the later hands for getting 0.  For example, you would receive 6 points in a hand where one card is dealt, or 18 points in a hand where 13 cards are dealt.


Rule Options - Thirty- One
Thirty- One Rule Options

Starting Amount - The number of points you start the game with.  When you lose one more game after losing all your points, you are out of the game.

Blitz - Choose from one of following options for blitz.  When you blitz, all remaining players lose one point.

•	Only on Ace, King, and Ten

•	Any 31


Rules Options - Pinochle
Pinochle Rule Options

Game - Choose from one of the two following variations:

•	Partnership Auction - Play as described by the rules of Partnership Auction Pinochle

•	Double-Pack - Play as defined by the rules of Double-Pack Pinochle

Winning Score - Set the number of points needed to win the game.  Enter a value from 100 to 100,000.

Count - This option is only available when playing Partnership Auction Pinochle.  This affect the scoring method.  Choose from one of the two options:

•	Original

•	Aces are worth 11

•	Tens are worth 10

•	Kings are worth 4

•	Queens are worth 3

•	Jacks are worth 2

•	Simplified

•	Aces, ten, and kings are worth 10


Saving and Loading Games

The Real Deal allows you to save a game in progress.  To do this, either choose Save from the Game menu during play, or click the right mouse button in the playing area of the game, and choose Save.  You can then continue the game later at the same location.

To load the saved game, choose Open from the File menu while at the title screen.  You then need to choose the appropriate game from the List of File Types field.  Then choose the filename that the game was saved under, and click OK.  An alternative way to load a saved game is to click the right mouse button on the game icon, and choose Play Saved Game.   You will continue the game at the point where you left off.


Records

Separate records are kept for each of the 10 games.  To view them, choose the appropriate game from the records menu.  You can also view them by clicking the right mouse button on the appropriate game icon, and choosing records from the menu.  There are two lists shown.  The first is listed in order of wins, the second in order of winning percentage.  The computer players are displayed in blue, while humans are displayed in black.

To reset the rule options, simply click on the Reset button on the bottom of the records dialog.  All records for this game only will be cleared.

At the end of each game, the records for that game will be displayed.


Multiplayers

The Real Deal allows up to 4 players to play together by establishing a connection either through a modem or a TCP/IP network.  One player is the coordinator, and establishes all connections, sets the rule options, and chooses which games to play.  All other players simply follow the coordinators choices.

Prior to establishing a multiplayer connection, each player chooses a character that will represent them during play.  All other players will see you as this character during play, along with hear their digitized phrases.  You will automatically be prompted to choose this personality when you issue your first multiplayer operation.

Take the following steps to begin a multiplayer game:

1.	Have one of the players choose Listen from the Multiplayer menu.  Select either network or modem from the list.  You will be prompted to choose a character personality.  A dialog box will then appear specifying that you are waiting for a coordinator to connect.

2.	Have the other player choose Connect from the Multiplayer menu.  Select either network or modem (the same as you choose in 1 above) from the list.  You will be prompted to select a character personality.  For a network game, you will be given a list of all the players who have issued a listen command.  Select the appropriate player from the list.  For a modem game, you will need to add the other player’s name and telephone number to the dialing directory.  Once this is done, simply choose that player from the list, and click on the dial button.   Once the connection has been established, you will need to choose whether you want this player to be your partner in partnership games.

3.	At this point, the player who issued the listen will have a dialog displayed specifying to wait for the coordinator to select a game.  The coordinator will be returned to the title screen.  She can either connect to additional players, or choose a game to play.  When a game is selected, the rule options are sent to all players, so everyone knows what the rules are.

4.	Once a game is started, continue playing as you normally would.  If a player who issued a listen disconnects, a computer player (the one they choose to be) will take over for them.  If the connection with the coordinator is terminated, the game will terminate for all players

Anytime, either when at the title screen or during the game, you can establish a chat session with all the other players.  To do this, simply choose chat from the multiplayer menu.  Once you enter your message and send it, the dialog will appear on all other player’s screen.  Once you are done sending messages, you can click on done and the dialog will go away.  If you prefer to have the chat dialog always available, you can move the dialog off to the corner.


Game Options
Options Menu

The following options are available either throught the Options menu, or by clicking the right mouse button anywhere in the playing area of the game.

Animation - This option affects the speed at which the cards are animated.  Choose from one of the following options:

•	Slow

•	Normal

•	Fast

Message Speed - This options affects the time for which the player messages are left on the screen.  This also affects the speed at which the players make their bids and plays.  Choose from one of the three following options:

•	Slow

•	Normal

•	Fast

Automouse - When this option is checked, the mouse cursor will automatically move for you.  When dialogs appear, the cursor will automatically be moved to the OK button.  When it is your turn to play, the cursor will be moved to your first valid choice.  When this option is not checked, the cursor will not be moved for you automatically.

Change Player - This will allow you to change the name of the human player using the game.  All records for the player will be saved using this name.  You can change this name anytime from the main title screen.  If you do not want to be prompted for this each time the game starts, simply check that box that says do not display on startup.

Background Color - Choose the color used for the background of the game screen.

Text Color - Choose the color used for the text of the player names and player scores.

Card Back - Choose from one of the 16 available card backs.

Music - There are four options available to you for music:

•	Music enabled, with a different song for each game.  When this option is set, each game has it’s own designated song that will be played throughout the game.

•	Music enabled, looping through the list of selected songs.  When this option is set, a song will be chosen at random from the list of songs that are checked.  When the song is completed, a new song is chosen at random from the list.

•	Event music enabled.  No music will be played in the background while a game is being played.  When you win or lose a game, music will play.

•	Music disabled.  No music will be played when this option is set.

NOTE: If you have a wave table card that is properly configured (and set as the device to play MIDI), select the yes button for using the wave table optimized files.

Digitized Voices - When this option is selected (has a check mark next to the menu item), the digitized voices are played for the characters.  Simply select this menu option to toggle the value.


Meet the players

Beginners - Beginners are useful for learning how to play a game.  They sometimes make mistakes, and will not always make the best available move.

Intermediate - Intermediate computer players should provide a challenging game for most card players.  They rarely make mistakes a beginner would make.

Expert - Expert players should provide a challenge for all card players.  They are always alert and remember every move.


Computer Players - Beginners

 Wacky Wayne is a one-of-a-kind surfer from Long Beach, California.  When he’s not busy playing a radical game of cards, he’s spending the rest of his time at the beach trying to catch a wave.  Wayne’s age may be twenty-eight, but his mind and body remain in awesome shape.

 Reddy Betty is a fifth grade student at the Frank Jewett School in the small Maine town of Buxton.  When she’s not engulfed in a good game of cards, she can usually be found playing with her dolls and reading pre-teen magazines.

 Dizzy Lizzy is a devout follower of the Valley Girl tradition;  all the way from Miami, Florida.  She enjoys combing her hair, staring blindly into mirrors, and dating a wide variety of guys when she’s not confused and dazed in a game of cards.  Come on.  Give her a try!

 Chung Lee resides in the far-off city of Seoul, Korea.  His wife Luan also is an avid card player.  Luan is desperately trying to teach Chung everything she knows...(about cards).  Luckily, Chung is a fast learner.


Computer Players - Intermediate

 Slick Sam is an energetic youth of only twelve years. He is plagued with many social and anti-social behavioral problems.  In fact, if things don’t go his way, watch out!  He has been known to break windows. His hobbies include destroying other people’s property, picking on the little kids, and mutilating everyone in a “friendly” game of cards.

 Wild Will is a cowboy from San Antonio, Texas.  When he’s not enjoying a good game of cards, he can be found cattle roping at the local rodeo and branding anything that will let him.  But, be warned:  he has a temper. Challenge him- if you dare!

 Justina Jones is a southern gal from Charlotte, North Carolina. She enjoys cooking and she spends much of her time helping the local P.T.A. Incredibly enough, she still has spare time in which you’ll find her playing a “mighty fine” game of cards.  So, sit on down and play a spell.

 Granny Mildred is a retired school teacher who loves to play cards.  Her many years give her experience and her residence in Cambridge, not far from Boston, explains her attitude.  Don’t let Granny’s exterior fool you- she’s out with a vengeance.


Computer Players - Expert

 Papa John is an acclaimed professor from the University of Good Card Play.   He has been teaching youngsters (anyone under the age of 104) these games for over 40 years. His technique is an inspiration to us all.

 Luan Lee is a married housewife from Seoul, Korea.  She plays many games of cards and practices all of the time.  Her husband, Chung, has been trying to learn these games in his spare time. However, no one does as well as Luan.  Go on, give it a whirl.

 Gorged George can often be found in the food court in any and all malls.  He has several trophies from all-you-can-eat contests.  In fact, you could probably bribe him with a pepperoni pizza if you are trailing.

 Wimpy Wendell has always been a straight A student.  He spends his spare time memorizing college textbooks and reading the dictionary for fun. His most favorite activity of all, besides card playing, is writing out the integers composing pi. How’s that for a social life?


Glossary

Assist  In Euchre, the partner of the dealer says “I assist” when accepting the turn-up for trump.

Alone  In Euchre, the announcement that a player will play the current hand without the partner’s help.

Bid  Announcement to win a certain number of points or tricks.

Black Lady or Black Maria  The queen of spades in Hearts.

Bower  A jack in Euchre.  See Right Bower or Left Bower.

Count Out  Score the winning points before the opponent has had an opportunity to play.  This is found In Cribbage.

Crib  In Cribbage the extra hand that goes to the dealer.

Cut  Divide the deck and place the bottom cards on top.

Deal  Give cards to the players in a certain order.  The deal usually passes to the left.

Discard  Play unwanted cards out of the hand, into either a common discard pile or trick.

Draw  Take an additional card.  This term also means a tie.

Eldest Hand  Refers to the first player to receive cards in the deal.  Usually this is the player on the dealer’s left.  This player often plays first.

Euchre  A term used in Euchre to signify the trump-maker’s failure to win three tricks of five.

Face Card  King, queen, or jack

Flush  A hand or sequence of cards all of one suit.

Follow suit  Play the same suit as the card led.

Go  In Cribbage, the inability to play.

Go Out  Reach the total number of points needed to win the game.

Hand  The cards dealt to or held by the player.

His Heels  A jack turned as the starter in Cribbage.

Is Nibs or His Nobs  A jack of the same suit as the starter in Cribbage.

In the Hole  Having a negative score.

Knock  A rap on the table in Thirty-One, indicating the player thinks he or she has more points than the opponents.

Lead  Play the first card to start a trick-taking round.

Left Bower  The jack of the other suit the same color as the trump, also considered a trump.  Found in Euchre.

Lurch  Winning the Cribbage game before the opponent has passed the three-quarter way mark (91 points).  Also referred to as a Skunk.  Beating an opponent who has not passed the halfway mark (61 points) is called a Double Lurch or Double Skunk.

Maker  The player determining the trump suit.

March  Winning all five tricks in Euchre.

Meld  A scoring combination of cards.

No-Trump  A contract or rule whereby no suit acts as trump.

Odd Trick  In Whist, a trick won after six have been taken by one team.

Open  Make the first bid.

Order it Up  In Euchre, a bid by an opponent of the dealer accepting the turn-up card as trump.

Pass  Deciding not to bid.

Peg  To score in Cribbage.

Pitch  In Auction Pitch this describes the opening lead, which becomes the trump suit.  The pitcher is the player determining the trump suit.

Right Bower  In Euchre, the jack of the trump suit.

Shoot the Moon  Winning all the counting cards in Hearts.

Showing  Scoring the hand in Cribbage.

Skunk  See Lurch.

Smudge  A bid to win four points in Auction Pitch.

Starter  The card turned up by the dealer before play.

Stock Pile  Cards not in play but available for drawing.

Trick  A card from the hand of each player.

Trump  The suit assigned to have prominence over other suits.

Turn-Up  A card that’s turned up after the deal to propose the trump suit.


(Action Pitch)
(Auction Pitch)

All Fours a game of early English origin, was once know to virtually every card-playing American; it has survived principally in the game of Auction Pitch, which is still among the most popular games played in the United States.  There are many varieties and the rules have changed greatly over the years, but the essential feature always is the scoring of high, low, jack, and the game.


(Cribbage)

Cribbage is believed to have been invented and christened by the English poet Sir John Sucking, who lived 1609-1642.  Some of its features were taken from an older game, Noddy, of which little is know.  Early colonists brought Cribbage to America, where it fourishes still today.


(Crazy Eight's)

This game is also called Swedish Rummy.  It is identical with a game called Crazy jacks except that in the latter jacks are the wild cards.  One of the earliest Eights games of which we have record is Comet, described by Abbe Bellecour in 1768 as “the new game.”


(Euchre)

This game originated among the Pennsylvania Dutch prior to 1864.  The term bower is the German Bauer (farmer), one of the names for the jack.  The game is now played chiefly in the northeastern states.


(Hearts)

Hearts is so called because every card of the heart suit counts “minus” when won in tricks.  The object of play is usually the reverse of that in Bridge and other games,  where the object is to win certain cards or tricks.  Indeed, the 18th-century ancestor of Hearts was called Reverse.


(Oh Hell)

Oh Hell (called OH Pshaw or Blackout in family journals) made its appearance in New York card clubs in the late 1930s.  It was said to have come from England, but nothing more is know of its origin.  It is one of the best round games for sheer relaxation, yet it is comparable to Hearts in its opportunity for skillful play.


(Pinochle)

It was developed in the United States probably in the middle of the 19th century.  Some people are under the assumption that it’s from Germany because of the German ranking of the cards and some of the features are German, but it’s wholly American.


(Thirty-one)

Nobody knows really where this game came from, but the object of the game is to collect cards in one’s hand totaling as close to 31 as possible in the same suit.


(Spades)

Spades is partnership trick based game with a trump suit of spades.  Players bid how many tricks they think they can take, and then try to win at least that many in tricks.


(Whist)

Whist is just a fun game that consist of 7 points, each trick above six counting 1.

The value of the game is determined by deducting the loser’s score from seven.


(The Real Deal)

A collection of 10 classic card games.  Choose from any of the 12 computer opponents of varying skill levels, or play against a friend over a network or modem.