TWENTY-NINE

For four players (partners).

Value of Cards
Ace, King, Queen, Jack - each count as one; all other cards are equal to their face value.

First of all
Partners sit across from each other. All the cards are dealt out. Players hold their cards in fan-shaped hands.

The object of the game
To take in tricks by being the one to play the card that brings the total point value of cards already played to 29.

Play
First player plays a card (example a 10, calling out the total, "ten") Second player plays a card (say, a 3) announcing the total "13." Third player might play a 9, and says "22." If the fourth player has a 7, she plays it calling "29" and takes in the trick. (the 29 will not always be reached by the fourth card. It may be reached by the third or more often the fifth or sixth.) Player left of the one takng the trick leads to the next trick.

Each player tries to be the one to reach the total of 29, or to play cards that will assist her partner in playing the final card.

The play continues until the cards are all played, or until a player cannot play without going over the total of 29, at which point the game ends. The team with the most tricks is the winning team.

A good player who cannot reach 29 herself will try to play a card low enough to prevent the opponent to her left from reaching 29, but that might enable her partner to play the final card.