Designed by Wolfgang Kramer
Translated by Frank Branham
Translation v2
Players: 3-9
Duration: 45 minutes
Ages: 10 and up
Contents: 104 number cards (1-13, 4 of each) 4 jokers, 1 Big A, 1 little a
Object: Each player tries to get rid of their cards. When one player does so, cards remaining in the other's hands are worth points. Players holding the A and a cards get lots of minus points. Play 5 rounds, and the player with the fewest points wins.
Start: Whoever is the person who always loses games deals. Pull out both A cards and placce them face up in the middle of the table. The dealer distributes all of the other cards.
A Round: The player to the left of the dealer starts. He may lead any number of the same value card. (Ex 3 twelves). The next player must either play the same number of cards of a higher value or pass.
Players keep playing cards onto the trick until all players have passed in successsion. The player who played the last set of cards takes the trick, and leads from his hand. The cards taken in a trick are not scored in any manner.
Jokers: There are 4 jokers. A joker played alone has a value of 14, and will always win a trick. Jokers may also be played with other cards as an extra card of that type. (two 10's and a Joker may be played as 3 tens.
A Joker remaining in a player's hand at the end of a round is worth 14 points.
The A cards: Let us begin the pain. The winner of the first trick in each round takes the little a into his hand. The winner of the second trick takes the Big A. At the end of the round, if the little a is in a player's hand, it is worth 15 points. The Big A is worth 20 points to the poor soul who holds it.
The only way to get rid of an a (or A) card is to lead it as the first card of a trick. As soon as that happens, the trick becomes a special "A trick" and the following special rules apply.
1. The A card has a value of zero.
2. Jokers have a value of 1.
3. Every player plays once. And no one may pass. (Exception: if a player's only card is the other a card, then that player must pass.)
4. Whoever plays the highest card takes the trick. And suffers.
IMPORTANT: You may not play an A (or a) card which you have just picked up. If you've just taken the Big A, then you have to wait until your next lead to play.
The little a trick: The player taking the trick takes all of the cards and places them in a seperate pile with the little a card face up on top. These cards will be worth points at the end of the round. Fortunately, the Joker is worth 1, and the little a card is worth 0 points.
The Big A trick: Pain. The player taking the trick takes all of the cards from the trick and takes them into his hand. Including the Big A. This means that is is quite likely that another Big A trick will come up soon. The player stuck with this hot potato at the end of the round earns himself 20 points.
Round end: As soon as one person plays his last card, the round ends. Players score points remaining in their hands. Cards count face value. Jokers are worth 14, the little a is 15, and the Big A is 20. Also count the points for the little a trick if anyone took it.
Tally the scores, and play another round. When you've done five rounds, the player with the lowest score is the winner.
[Note: while the rules do not mention branding the loser with an A, I'm sure that someone has thought of this in the past.]