How to Play the Card Game Jazz
The game of Jazz is an odd sort of trick-taking game as there are different conditions placed on the score based on the outcome of each hand. And for a very interesting twist, you never know what trump will be until someone can’t follow suit. Luckily, you’re never bidding your hand, just trying to take tricks, but the correct number isn’t established until the end of the round. Is your head spinning yet? Though it sounds a bit complicated, it’s actually quite simple once you’ve familiarized yourself with the rules, and can be loads of fun with the right group of people.
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Instructions
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1
Reduce the size of your deck by removing the 5 through the 2 of each suit. For the game of Jazz, you’ll only need to use a deck of 36 cards—A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7 and 6 in ranking non-trump order. When a certain suit becomes trump, the cards rank will change to be J, 9, A, K, Q, 10, 8, 7 and 6 from highest to lowest.
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2
Deal out the deck until each player has a total of 12 cards in his hand. For the game of Jazz, you will deal out the cards in increments of three—3 cards to the first player, 3 cards to the second player and then 3 cards to yourself—until no cards remain in the deck.
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3
Lay a card, starting with the player to the left of the dealer. You must follow suit when possible; highest card takes the trick. If you are unable to follow suit, you must play another card from your hand. The first player unable to follow suit has the advantage since the suit of the card he chooses to play will become trump for the remainder of the hand. From there on out, you may play a trump or throw off if you are unable to follow suit. Highest trump card will take the trick. For both scenarios, the winner of the trick will lead the next card.
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4
Continue to play until all the tricks are taken.
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5
Tally the points within the tricks you’ve taken. Aces are worth 11 points, 10s are worth 10 points, kings are worth 4 points, queens are worth 3 points and jacks are worth 2 points for non-trump suits. For trump suits, the value changes with the jack worth 20 points and nine worth 14 points. All other cards have the same value.
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6
Score the round based on the tally of each player as follows in this order: (A) If someone has taken all the tricks, he earns 2 points and the other players each earn -1 point. (B) If someone has taken no tricks, this player earns -2 points and the other players each earn 1 point. (C) If someone takes over 100 points in his hand, he earns -2 points and the other players each earn 1 point. (D) If two players tie for the same score, they both would receive -1 point and the other player would earn 2 points. (E) If everyone scores points, the player with the middle score would earn -2 points while the other players each earn 1 point. Please note that only one scoring criteria is used per hand in the order stated. For example, if two players end the hand with the same score, yet the third player takes no tricks, the player taking no tricks would earn negative 2 points as in “Condition B,” not positive 2 points as in “Condition D.”
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Play the game for a total of 12 hands. The player with the highest score is considered the winner of Jazz.
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Tips & Warnings
To determine the order of deal and play for Jazz, the deck should be dealt out face up until on player receives a jack. This player will act as the first dealer. Subsequent deals will move to the left in a clockwise direction around the table. Order of play will follow this same path.
