The Classic Misadventures in Gaming #10

By Dan Bosley
July 16, 2006 (Originally Posted on February 26, 2003)

Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice love trick-taking games. So, having learned my lesson the hard way with the non-trick-taking TransAmerica, I decide that the next time I have an opportunity to introduce a new game to them, it will be a trick-taking game. But a trick-taking game with a twist or two. The one I choose is David & Goliath, the 1998 card game by Reinhard Staupe.

Trick-taking card games are the type of games that Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice have been playing for many years - it’s a game-mechanic that they are VERY comfortable with. So learning a new trick-taking game should be easy for them - it’s a game solidly within their “game-comfort zone.� None of this weird German little wooden stick stuff.

Now as it turns out, Ted and Alice can’t make it this particular evening to Bob and Carol’s place. So it’s just the 4 of us, Bob and Carol and Diane and yours truly embarking on the great David & Goliath adventure.

I’m going to explain a bit now how David & Goliath works - you need to know because of what happens later in the evening. David & Goliath is a card game played with 5 suits and a varying number of cards in each suit, depending on how many players there are. With 6 players, you would use the entire deck, with each suit running from 1 to 18.

But since we only have 4 players, you take out the 13’s to 18’s, and go strictly with a 60-card deck: 1 to 12 in each of the 5 suits.

Game play is basic trick-taking with, as I already mentioned, a couple of twists. You MUST follow suit if you are able to do so. Nothing new there. That’s standard trick-taking cardplay. But once each player has played a card, the suits are then IRRELEVANT in determining who has won the trick. There are NO trump suits. Only the value of the cards played is of any consequence at that point. The person who played the LOWEST card takes the HIGHEST card played and places it face up on the table in front of them. If there is a tie for lowest number, then the person who played that tied lowest numbered card LAST is the one who wins the highest card.

Then, the person who played the highest card takes ALL the remaining cards, and puts them on the table, sorted by suit, in front of them. Again, if there is a tie for highest numbered card played, then the person who played that highest tied number card LAST is the one who takes the cards.

That’s it for basic cardplay. Thus, each round, two people will earn cards for their scoring pile. Whoever played the lowest card will take the highest card into their scorepile, and whoever played that highest card will take all the remaining other cards, including the lowest, into their scorepile. Very simple, very each to teach.

The scoring is the other twist. After all the cards have been played, each player then scores the cards they have won, in each of the suits. If they have 3 or more of any suit, each card in that suit counts for 1 point each. But if they have just 1 or 2 cards of a suit, then that suit instead scores the FACE VALUE of those 1 or 2 cards. So if you have a red 12 and a red 10, and no other reds, you score 22 points for reds. But if you have a red 12 and a red 10 and a red 9 and no other reds, you only score 3 points, one for each card.

This is the ideal game for Bob and Carol. It’s trick-taking, which they love, and it has a couple of never-before experienced twists for them to make it brand new and fresh. AND.... the other thing is the theme.

Theme? What theme, you ask? It’s a trick-taking card game. There’s a theme? What theme is there? Everyone plays a card, someone wins the trick, and the next round is played. What theme is that? It’s just a card game.

Well, let me tell you, the David & Goliath theme may be pretty thin, but it works WONDERFULLY well, especially for Carol. It makes the whole cardplay VERY understandable for her. Whoever plays the underdog low card (the “David�) defeats the highest card (the giant “Goliath�), while meanwhile the Goliath defeats all the other attackers.

I’m not sure the theme can go much further than that, though - since just how many battles did this David have with this Goliath anyhow? 48? 60? At least that many if you start counting the number of rounds played in a game. Certainly not just one battle, anyway.

But that simple David & Goliath theme “hook� is enough to capture Carol’s imagination. Plus the fact that their son’s name is David probably didn’t hurt either....

We play the game for about an hour, and everyone is enjoying the game and laughing and having a drink or two and having a grand old time. And Carol especially is REALLY, REALLY enjoying the game.

In fact, she likes it so much that she says, “We have to buy this game. We simply have to buy this game. We have to own our own copy.�

Wow.

This has NEVER happened before with Bob and Carol. I haven’t introduced a huge number of “German� games to them, but they have played a few: TransAmerica and Royal Turf and Barbarossa and Alles im Eimer. Alles im Eimer especially was a big hit, but they didn’t express a desire to buy their own copy after playing it.

But here comes along little ol’ trick-taking David and Goliath - and Carol now wants to buy her very own copy of the game. Her very first ever owned German game.

I immediately leap to my feet, log onto their computer, and order the game for them. There! It’s done. Now she can’t change her mind.

I return to the table. We’re about to start another game of David and Goliath when the doorbell rings.

“Now, who could that be?� ponders Bob out loud.

“I don’t know,� says Carol. “We’re not expecting anyone else.�

“That’s really strange,� says Bob.

“Yes it is,� says Carol.

Bob continues to shuffle the cards.

Nobody gets up to get the door.

The doorbell rings again.

“There it goes again,� says Bob.

“Yes, I heard it,� advises Carol.

“It really does sound like the doorbell,� Bob says.

“You mean it isn’t?� I ask.

“No,� he informs me.

“Then..... what is it?� I inquire.

“Oh, it’s just a ringing chime kind of sound,� Carol informs me.

“Well, yes, I heard that. But it’s not the doorbell?�

“No, it shouldn’t be,� Carol says.

“It shouldn’t be?� I am puzzled. “What does that mean? If it’s not the doorbell, then what is it?�

Bob is starting to deal out the cards. He is apparently not going to answer the door.

The doorbell rings again.

“We must get that fixed, Bob,� says Carol.

“Yes, it is getting to be a bit of a nuisance,� he states.

“It is, isn’t it?� Carol agrees.

“What’s ringing if it’s not the doorbell?� I ask.

“Don’t worry about it, we’re not expecting anyone else,� Carol informs us.

Bob sighs. “Maybe it IS the doorbell.�

“It sure sounds like one to me,� I say.

There is a sudden knocking on the door. KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!

“Now, that sounds like knocking,� suggests Bob.

“It certainly did,� agrees Carol.

“Didn’t sound like a doorbell at all,� says Bob.

“No, it did sound like knocking,� Carol confirms. “The doorbell sounds more like a ringing chime kind of sound. Not like that banging sound. That was definitely not the doorbell. I think I would be safe in saying it wasn’t the doorbell making that knocking sound.�

“No, if it was the doorbell, it wouldn’t have sounded like knocking,� Bob agrees. “The doorbell does not sound like knocking, I know that for sure. And that sounded like knocking.� Bob is looking at his cards.

The doorbell rings again AND the knocking on the door comes again too, more or less at exactly the same time.

“Well!� exclaims Carol. “That’s the first time that’s ever happened.�

“Yes, that’s unusual,� agrees Bob. “Hearing both ringing and knocking at the same time. That is unusual. Both at the same time. Pretty strange. Say, are you going to lead a card or not?�

“Um....� Diane says. “Shouldn’t somebody get the door?�

“Why yes,� says Carol. “That might be a good idea. Maybe somebody is at the door?�

“Maybe,� acknowledges Bob.

“Why don’t I get it?� I volunteer, and get up from the table, and walk down the entry way stairs to the door.

I open the door.

There’s a tall guy standing there. “Hi Bob -� he starts. And then, “Oh sorry, you’re not Bob.�

“No, I’m not. I can get him for you, though. Who are you?� I inquire.

“Lance. My name’s Lance. I’m Bob’s new neighbour.�

“Great. I’ll go get Bob,� I tell him.

I go back upstairs, and over to the dining room table. “There’s a guy named Lance here to see you,� I tell Bob.

“Lance? Lance? Who’s Lance?�

“He says he’s your new neighbour. He knew your name.�

“Oh yeah, him. I met him last week. What does he want?�

“I don’t know. He asked for you. That’s all I know,� I explain.

“Fine,� says Bob, and gets up from the table to go see Lance.

A minute later, Bob is back. With Lance.

“Hey everyone,� Bob says. “This is Lance.�

We all introduce ourselves.

Lance sees we are playing a cardgame. “Hey!� he says. “Are you playing a card game?�

There are many, many different things that I might say at this juncture. Many, many things. The mind boggles. I am very tempted. But I just give the ol’ boring answer, “Yes.�

“Hey, fantastic! I’m a bit of an expert gamer myself. What game are you playing?� Lance asks.

“David & Goliath,� I inform him.

“David & Goliath? Never heard of it.�

“You said you were a bit of an expert gamer,� I say. “What are you expert at?� I am curious, because who knows? This Lance fellow might be a lucky find to add to the Terminal City Gamers roster.

“Oh, lots of games. I’m very good. I rarely lose.� Lance says modestly.

“That’s....uh.... that’s great,� I tell him. “What games do you play?� I ask.

“Oh, you know....� he says.

I look at him puzzledly. “No, I don’t . How would I know?� I ask.

“How would you know what?� Lance asks me.

“How would I know what games you play?� I repeat.

“I told you,� Lance says.

“You told me what?� I ask.

“What I play.� Lance says.

“You told me what you play?�

“Yes.�

I look at Lance.

Lance is looking at me.

I repeat myself, a bit more slowly. “You told me what you play? That I already know?�

“Yes, you know...,� says Lance. “I’m an expert. An expert gamer, that’s me. I’m really, really very good.�

“And.....what....game....are.....you......ex.....pert.....at?� I ask.

“Why......are......you......talk.....ing.....like.....that?� Lance asks me back.

“I.....don’t.....really.....know......It.....just......seemed.....right.....� I respond.

“Well,� says Lance, “you know.�

“I know?�

“Yes, you know.�

And finally, it hits me. He’s right. I do know. He’s not saying “You know.� He’s saying “Uno.�

“That’s right. I’m an expert. At that, and at many other games too,� Lance says smugly. “I’ve always loved playing games. They’re a lot of fun,� Lance tells everyone at the table.

“Have you played Puerto Rico?� I ask him.

“Is that a card game?� Lance asks.

“Settlers of Catan?� I ask him.

“Never heard of that one,� Lance advises me.

“Tigris and Euphrates? 6 Nimmt? Medici? Union Pacific? Citadels? El Grande? Bohnanza?� I ask.

“Where are you getting those names from? Never heard of any of them. I’m talking about excellent games,� Lance instructs me. “Excellent games that are fun to play. Not games no one has ever heard of.�

“Oh,� I say. “I see.�

“Another game I’m really good at is Stock Ticker. My friend Jeff taught me that one - it’s probably his favorite game of all time.�

I nod.

“Say, can I join you?� Lance asks. “I wouldn’t mind learning a new card game.�

“Oh sure,� says Carol. “This is a really fun game. And it plays with more than 4 people, right, Dan?�

“Yes, it does,� I tell her.

“Great,� says Lance. “I’ll try not to beat you guys too badly. I’m really good at games, you know.�

“I can’t wait,� I comment. I explain the rules to Lance.

Lance laughs. “This game is a snap. You guys don’t stand a chance. Prepare to be wiped out!�

“Great,� I say.

“Do you mind if I shuffle?� Lance asks. “Just to make sure everything’s on the up and up, you know? Want everything to be fair, that’s right. By the way, I’m an excellent shuffler, you know.�

I’m starting to wish I had TransAmerica here. I’m wondering what it would be like to stuff ALL of the wooden sticks into someone’s nostrils.

“O.K.,� says Lance. “Here we go. Ooops. Sorry, didn’t mean to bend that card. Let’s have a look at it. O.K., everyone, this card with the crease in it? That’s a blue 15. Try to forget that.� He laughs.

Lance deals out all the cards. And so the David & Goliath & Lance game begins.

To be continued real soon.....you know.

© 2006 Rick Thornquist

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