CUPS > COINS > SWORDS > CLUBS > CUPS ...

INTRODUCTION Coins is a trick taking card game for three players. A Spanish deck of 48 cards is used. Mark Steere designed Coins in October, 2022.

SUITS Cups Coins Swords Clubs

RANKS (high to low) Ace, King (Rey), Knight (Caballo), Knave (Sota), 9 to 2.

TRICK CARD VALUES There are three types of tricks, as follows.

1. The three cards of the trick are of three different suits. Suit A beats suit B, and suit B beats suit C (see SUIT RELATIVE VALUES above). Suit A wins the trick.

2. Two cards of the trick are of the same suit and the third is of a different suit. The higher ranked, same-suit card wins the trick (see RANKS above).

3. The three cards of the trick are all of the same suit. The highest ranked card wins the trick.

OBJECT OF THE GAME Players initially agree on a target score such as 10 or 15 or 20 points. Each card of the Coins suit is worth one point. As soon as one of the players reaches the target score, they win the game.

PLAY The dealer of the first hand of the game is the oldest player. In subsequent hands, the player to the right of the winner of the last trick deals. The player to the dealer's right shuffles the cards. The player to the dealer's left cuts the deck. The entire deck is dealt face down, one card at a time, clockwise, beginning on the dealer's left. After all the cards have been dealt, the player to the dealer's left leads the trick by placing any card from their hand face up on the table. Then the player to that player's left likewise plays any one of their cards. Finally, the third player (the dealer) plays any card.

The player with the highest valued card in the trick (see TRICK CARD VALUES above) wins the trick. The trick winner adds the number of Coins in the trick to their total, collects the three cards of the trick, and places them face down on their stack of tricks. The winner of the trick leads the next trick.

AUTHOR’S NOTE Feel free to publish this rule sheet and to program the game of Coins. No licensing fee or royalties are expected. However, please don’t change the name or the rules, and please attribute the game to me, Mark Steere. My other games can be found at marksteeregames.com.