Skull King

骷髅王

Pirate trick-taking: say exactly how many tricks you will win each round, then make it happen.

The goal

Have the highest score after ten rounds.

1There are ten rounds, and the round number is the number of cards dealt: one card each in round one, ten each in round ten.
2After looking at your hand, everyone chants together and shows fingers at the same moment for how many tricks they will win.
3Playing: follow the suit that was led if you can, and the highest card of that suit wins. The black Jolly Roger suit is trumps and beats the other three suits.
4Special cards can be played at any time instead of following suit. An Escape always loses; a Pirate beats every numbered card; a Mermaid beats numbered cards and loses to Pirates but captures the Skull King; the Skull King beats Pirates.
5Scoring: hit your bid exactly and score 20 per trick; miss and lose 10 for each trick you were off. Bid zero and make it for 10 times the round number; fail and lose the same amount.

After the tenth round, the highest total wins.

Accuracy beats greed. One trick too many costs the same as one too few.
Escape cards are for losing on purpose. Save them for the trick you must not win.
Bidding zero in the late rounds pays well and goes wrong easily.