Jo-Jotte (1937)

Famous bridge personality Ely Culbertson's attempt to create an equally popular 2-person game. Jo-Jotte is named after Josephine Culbertson his first wife and distinguished partner. Unfortunately the game flopped and the couple divorced a year later. The game is basically Belote (i.e. 2 player Klabberjass, Bela) with the addition of Notrump, a Nullo bid, Slam bid and also bridge-like scoring above and below the line.

THE DEAL: Using a deck of 32 cards (A,K,Q,J,10,9,8,7 in each suit) six cards are dealt to each player. The next (13th) card is turned face up.

THE BIDDING: First, the non-dealer may accept the turned card as trump, or pass; if he passes, then the dealer may accept the turned up trump or pass. if both pass, the non-dealer may name any other trump suit (or notrump) or pass. If he passes again, the dealer has the same choice. A trump suit once named may be overcalled by a notrump contract, but not by another suit. Any contract may be doubled, and any double may be re-doubled.

THE DRAW: When the trump suit (or notrump) has been selected and doubled or passed, the dealer deals three more cards to each player and turns the bottom cared of the deck face up. The defender (player who did not select the final contract) must then (a) announce his intention to play a Nullo contract; or (b) declare his honor-meld, if any, against declarer's contract; or (c) pass. Declarer must then (a) bid a Slam or (b) pass. In either case, Dealer declares his honor-meld, if any. A slam bid will void any Nullo contact. Honor-melds are first declared by their point value; and the winning meld (see table) is shown and then scored. If played at the turned trump, that card may be taken in exchange for the seven of trumps.

THE PLAY: Defender leads first; he may lead any card. The other player must follow suit, if able; if she cannot follow suit, she must trump, if able. A trump led must be won, if possible. After the first trick, the winner of a trick leads to the next. In the trump suit, if any, the cards rank J,9,A,10,K,Q,8,7. In any other suit the cards rank A,10,K,Q,J, 9,8,7. A Nullo contract is always played without a trump suit.

THE SCORING: Any winning meld is scored to the holder's credit in his honor column (above the line). Each player adds his trick score and honor score (including bonuses if any). Each player adds his trick score and honor score. If declarer has the higher total, he scores his trick score toward game (below the line) while the defender scores his trick score above the line. If the defender has the higher total, he adds declarer's trick score to his own, and scores the total below the line. On any doubled contract, the player with the higher total receives the combined trick scores, at twice their value, below the line. A game ends when a player scores 80 points or more below the line. A rubber ends when one player has won two games. When declarer and defender have the same total; or when a Nullo contract is played, the combined trick score is held aside and awarded above the line to the player who ahs the higher total score on the succeeding hand.

• Except at Nullos

• Jo-Jotte is K and Q of trump suit, if any. It is scored as part of the trick score, but only if announced as follows: the holder must play the King before he plays the Queen. On playing the King he announced "Jo". Later when playing the Queen she announces "Jotte". Without these announcement it does not score. It does not matter if the card wins the tricks in which these cards are played.

RUBBER BONUS 300
To be the first player who wins two games of 80 points each

SLAM BONUSES (for winning every trick)
If Bid 500

If not Bid| 100

If a player bids Slam and loses a trick, he has lost the hand, even though his actual total score is greater than the defender's. In this case the Defender scores the combined trick score, but above the line (not toward game).

HONOR MELDS

Only the player with the higher ranking meld in each category may score it. She may however score more than the one combination in each class.

If two sequences are of equal length and headed by equivalent high cards, the trump sequence, if any, wins.

NULLOS (a bid not to win a trick at notrump)
Bonus if succeed 200
Penalty if unsucceesful 200 for first trick, 100 for each other trick won