FIVE HUNDRED

card game for three players, devised in 1904 by the U.S. Playing Card Company. It most closely resembles Euchre but shares certain elements with Whist, Bridge, and Auction Pinochle. The game was extremely popular until it was surpassed first by Auction Bridge in the 1920s and later by Contract Bridge. A 32-card deck, ace (high) through 7, is used, plus a joker (best bower), which outranks the jack of trump (right bower), which in turn outranks the left bower (jack of the other suit of the same colour). In a no-trump game, the jacks rank in the usual position. The suits rank downward from hearts to diamonds, clubs, and spades. Ten cards are dealt each player in a threefourthree sequence; a three-card widow is placed in the centre. As the name implies, the object of the game is to win 500 points: high bidder names trump, exchanges through the widow, and tries to make his bid (6 to 10 tricks). The bid called misere is a bid to lose every trick; to open misere is to do so with one's hand exposed on the table. Both are played at no-trumps, except for the joker. Each bid must be for more tricks than the previous one or for a higher score, following the contract valuation table. Normal rules of trick taking apply, with no points given for extra tricks. The value of a failed bid is subtracted from the bidder's score; other players receive 10 points per trick. The winner is the first to score 500. Variations of the game allow for play with two to six players.