Jeu du Nain Jaune (1760)

Le Jeu Du Nain Jaune (Game of the Yellow Dwarf) is an attractive and unique traditional French card game that strikes a satisfying balance between luck of the draw and genuine strategy. Quality sets comprise wooden trays inlaid with the special scoring cards (King Hearts, Queen Spades, Jack Clubs, ten diamonds and the greatest scoring seven of diamonds), plus a conventional 52 card pack and betting tokens (poker chips). Cheaper sets are invariably plastic and can be found in most French supermarkets for a few Euros/dollars. The objective is to dispose of the cards in your hand, playing them in simple numerical sequence from 1 (Ace) to King, picking up bonuses along the way. The suits have no significance other than when playing the five special cards. The person playing the King terminates the sequence and may restart it with a card of their choice. This is where the strategy comes in. Remembering which cards have been played allows you to frustrate your opponents by starting a sequence favoring the cards remaining in your hand. The simplicity of the basic game appeals to younger gamers, whereas the hardened gambler and his/her gaming friends can enjoy the hunt for the 7 of diamonds tray full of Euros. A good way to learn this game is by downloading shareware versions available on the Internet.

Re-implemented by: Pope Joan