This game reinforces children’s sense of card play and leads on to Whist and Bridge. The aim of the game is to collect as many ‘tricks’ as possible. It is best to teach the game in stages.

Take all the diamonds from a pack of cards and then set the Jack, Queen and King to one side.

Shuffle the remaining 10 cards and then deal them out between the players. Everyone should have the same number of cards in their hand. For example, if 3 people are playing, leave one card to the side. If 4 people are playing, leave two cards to the side.

The first player shuffles and then deals the cards, giving each player the same number of cards. Players holds their cards in a fan so they can see them easily. Encourage children to put the cards in order, lowest to highest, in their hand. Explain that in this game the Ace is ‘high’ and will beat any other card in the suit as it has super powers!

The player on the dealer’s left chooses a card to put face up on the table. The next player then puts a card down, and play continues until everyone one has put down a card. Whoever laid the highest card wins the ‘trick’ and collects up the cards in a pile, putting them face down on the table in front of them. (As tricks build up it is a good idea to make a criss-cross pattern, then it is easier to see who is winning!)

The player who won the trick then chooses a card to put down and play continues for the second trick.

Once all the cards have been played the winner is the player with the most tricks.

Vary the game by playing with different suits, but only with one suit at a time.

Once children are confident add the Jack, then the Queen and then the King of diamonds and play until they know the values of the picture cards.

Encourage children to think about the value of the cards they are playing. If they can’t put a higher card down it is best to put down, or ‘throw away’ their lowest card. Talk about which cards have been played and which are still in other players’ hands.

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