Booray

The Pack

The standard 52-card pack is used.

Object of the Game

The goal is to win at least one trick and the primary object is to win each pot by taking the most tricks.

The Deal

For each deal, players ante to a pot.

Five cards are dealt to each player, one at a time, face down, beginning with the player on the left. The dealer then turns up the next card, which is designated the trump suit, and then they announce this suit.

The Play

Any player, after looking at their cards, may drop out of the hand and forfeit their ante by placing all five cards face down. Otherwise, a player may stay in and have a chance to win the pot, or perhaps sustain additional losses. Each active player, beginning on the dealer’s left, now discards one to four cards and receives replacements from the deck, or stands pat.

When the draw is completed, the player on the dealer’s left leads and the cards are played out in tricks (one card from each player in turn). The leader must lead their highest trump if they have the ace, king, or queen. To each trick, a player in turn must: 1. Follow suit, if possible. 2. Play a higher card than any previously played, if possible. 3. Play a trump, if unable to follow suit. 4. Play any card, if unable to follow suit or trump. A trick is won by the highest card of the suit led unless a trump is played, in which case the highest trump wins. The winner of a trick leads next. The player may lead any card unless they hold the ace, king or queen of trumps, in which case one of these three cards must be led.