So, what is the 66 card game all about? Well, the goal might seem simple, be the first player to score 7 game points over multiple rounds, but scoring game points and beating your opponent is tricker than you might think.
Before we look at the rules in more detail, let’s take a quick look at how the game works.
What is The 66 Card Game?
If you’re looking for a great two-player card game, then 66 is for you! But how does this card game work? While the game is played with a standard deck of playing cards, not all the cards are used. When playing 66, you’ll only use the following cards:
- Ace (high)
- King
- Queen
- Jack
- 10s
- 9s
So, you’ll only be using 24 cards; now, this might seem like a very small deck but don’t worry, the game is still a lot of fun. Each player is dealt six cards, three at a time, and will play one card each round.
The goal of the game is to win tricks, with each trick won giving you points. Now in the 66 card game, there are various ways you can win tricks, and the points won can vary. Some tricks may only give you a few points, while others can score you lots.
We’ll discuss how the points work below in the rules section. Don’t confuse regular points with game points. Being the first to win 66 points will give you a single game point, and you need 7 game points to win the game.
Yes, it might sound a little confusing at first glance, but once you’ve played a few rounds, you’ll quickly get the hang of how things work. Before we look through the rules, you need to know about playing the 66 card game; let’s look at what you’ll need to play.
What You’ll Need To Play?
As you might have guessed, all you need to play the 66 card game is a deck of cards. Plus, you don’t even need all the cards in the deck! Now, while you can use any cards, we recommend some Bee playing cards; this manufacturer is well-known for its high quality.
The standard deck of Bee playing cards is a great example of what to look out for. Once you’ve got your cards, all you need is one friend willing to play, and the game can begin. But make sure you familiarise yourself with the rules for the 66 card game below.
Rules and Gameplay
The Aim of the Game
You need to be the first player to score 7 game points to win in this game. You win game points for winning a round, and to win, you must be the first player to score 66 or more points. Now, let’s go over how you play the 66 card game and examine the rules you need to know.
The Set-Up
To play the 66 card game, you’ll need first need to decide who the dealer will be. You can decide this however you like; the dealer should remove the cards you don’t need and then well shuffle the remaining cards.
They will then deal out the cards; cards should be dealt three at a time, with both players receiving six cards each. Once the cards are dealt, the dealer should flip over the next card, which will decide the trump card suit for the round.
Place this card next to the remainder of the deck. The deck will become the stock of cards for the game. Now, let’s look at how you play the 66 card game and win those all-important tricks, shall we?
Winning Tricks
The non-dealer will go first, and they can play any card they want. Unlike many trick-taking card games, no one is required to follow suit. There are various ways to win a trick, with the simplest being to play the highest card in the lead suit or by playing a trump card. If both players play trump cards, the highest card works.
Card ranking is the standard, with aces always being high. However, players can also win the trick by playing a marriage. A marriage is done by having a King and Queen card. To play a marriage, you must put down one of the cards and show the other.
A marriage in trumps will always beat a marriage in the non-lead suits. There is one other thing to learn about winning tricks: the number of points awarded.
Remember to with the overall round and get a game point; you need to be the first to score 66 or more regular points. To help highlight how this works, we’ve listed the point totals you’ll get for each winning trick below.
- Trump Marriage – 40 Points
- Non-Trump Marriage – 20 Points
- Win with an Ace – 11 Points
- Win with a 10 – 10 Points
- Win with a King – 4 Points
- Win with a Queen – 3 Points
- Win with a Jack – 2 Points
- Winning the last trick – 10 Points
So, as you can see, the card ranking order is a little unusual. The 10 card is higher than all the face cards. Make sure to remember this when you’re playing! We think it’s best to use a notepad to keep track of your points each round for first-time players.
Game Point Rules
Since the goal of the 66 card game is to be the first player to score 66 points or more, you’ll spend most of the game focusing on winning the most tricks. When you score enough points, you’ll win a game point; in most circumstances, you’ll only win 1 point, and you need to be the first to get 7 game points to win.
Under certain circumstances, you can win more than 1 game point for winning a round. If you score 66 points before your opponent has scored at least 33, you will win 2 game points instead!
If neither player scores enough points during a round, the next round is played for 2 game points instead. If you manage to play multiple rounds without anyone winning, you can keep increasing the game point total. However, some people prefer to cap this at a maximum of 2 to keep the game interesting.
One last thing to remember is that if you have the lead in points and have crossed 66, you can close the game. To do this, simply turn over the starting trump card. When this is done, the last trick (even if it’s been partially played) is no longer worth 10 points.
The 66 Card Game – A Fun Trick-Taking Card Game
Trick-taking card games like Spades and even the special Fox in the Forest have plenty of fans. The 66 card game is a bit of a hidden gem, but it’s well worth playing. The game has a lot of strategies involved and is, in many ways, the perfect two-player card game! So, if you’re looking for a new game to try, give 66 ago.
