Games

Hearts

Hearts for four players: pass three cards, then play thirteen tricks, following suit when you can. Every heart you take costs a point and the queen of spades thirteen - unless you take all twenty-six, and then the others pay. Hearts cannot be led until one has been thrown, and the two of clubs opens every hand. The game runs to 50 or 100 points and the lowest score wins. The computer plays the other three hands at five levels and sees only what a player sees; the strongest play each hand out in their heads over many deals of the cards they have not seen. Or watch a demo game with open hands.

By Mykhailo Makarov

Actual application image

What happens

Four players, thirteen cards each. Before a hand each player passes three cards: to the left, then to the right, then across, and every fourth hand none. The holder of the two of clubs leads it. Each player in turn, to the left, must follow the suit led if he can; otherwise he may throw any card. The highest card of the suit led takes the trick, and its taker leads next. No heart and no queen of spades may be thrown on the first trick, unless the hand holds nothing else. Hearts may not be led until a heart has been thrown, unless the leader holds only hearts. After thirteen tricks each heart taken counts one point and the queen of spades thirteen; a player who took all twenty-six scores nothing and each of the others twenty-six. When a score reaches the target the game ends and the lowest score wins.

Try this

Click three cards and pass them; then click a card of your hand to play it. The right mouse button turns the view, the wheel zooms.

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Games

Poker

No-limit Texas hold'em as a tournament at one table, for two to six players. Everybody starts with 1500 in chips. Two cards each and a round of betting; then three cards on the board, a fourth and a fifth, with a round of betting after each - fold, check, call, bet or raise any amount up to all you have. The best five cards of seven win the pot; a player who is all-in can win from each of the others no more than he put in himself, and the rest goes to side pots. The blinds rise every eight hands, and the last player with chips wins. The computer plays the other seats at five levels and sees only what a player sees; the stronger ones count their chances over hundreds of random deals, take a raise for what it tells, bluff, and remember how each player has played. Or watch a demo game with open cards.

Games

Dominoes

Draw dominoes with the double-six set on a cloth table, for two to four players: lay your bones end to end so that the numbers match, and be the first to empty your hand. A player who cannot follow draws from the boneyard; when nobody can move, the lightest hand takes the round. The winner scores the pips left in the other hands, and the rounds go on to 50, 100 or 150 points. The line turns the corners of the table by itself. Play the computer at five levels - the strongest plays the round out in its head over many deals of the bones it cannot see - or watch a demo game.

Games

Dice poker

Dice poker with five dice and a score card of thirteen boxes: roll up to three times a turn, setting aside the dice you keep, then write the throw into one free box - the numbers from one to six, three and four of a kind, a full house, the small and the large straight, five of a kind, or chance. 63 points in the upper half bring a bonus of 35. The dice tumble in a tray; click one to keep it or take it back. Play alone for a high score, against the computer at five levels - it works out each turn from the chances of the dice - with friends at one screen, or watch a demo game.