Our favority two-handed game

1. Remove all the cards numbered 1, 2, and 3 of each color from the deck, leaving 44 cards.
2. DEALING: To choose dealer, plyers draw for high card. The dealer shuffles the pack thoroughly. He deals cards one at a time, until each player has 11 cards. Next he deals 4 cards face down to the center of the table to form the nest.
3. DRAWING PILE: Place remainder of deck face down on the table to the left of the dealer, halfway between players. This is the drawing pile. Pick the top card from the pile, turn it face up and place it next to the drawing pile.
4. BIDDING: Bide for privilege of naming trump color as in regular 57 card game. Dealer must begin by bidding 60 or over. The highest bidder names the trump color and then picks up the nest. He may exchange any of the cards in the nest for cards in his hand. If, however, thereare any Count Cards – 5’s, 10’s, 14’s – in the nest, he must take them in exchange and is not allowed to discard a Count Card to the nest, since all Count Cards must be used in the game. The nest is then removed from the game.
5. PLAY: The low bidder leads by playing a card from his own hand. High bidder then follows. The higher card takes the trick of 2 cards thus played. A player must always follow the color led if possible. If he cannot do so, he may play a trump card or any card he does not want. A player may lead trumps or any color of his choice.
6. AFTER EACH TRICK IS CAPTURED: That player who captured a trick draws one card from the drawing pile and adds it to the other cards in his hand. He has his choice of drawing the top card from the drawing pile or the exposed card alongside it. The other player must draw one of these two cards not used at that turn by his appoinent. That player who captures the trick leads for the next trick. Players continue to draw, and take tricks until the drawing pile is exhausted. Thereafter each player will be left with 11 cards, and play continues as before without use of the drawing pile.
7. SCORING: 250 points win the game. Count Cards score as in the regular 57 cards game. Each 14 counts 10, each 10 counts 10, and each 5 counts 5. Every trick captured counts 2 additional points. The highest possible score would be 140 if one player were to take every trick. Bidding therefore usually reaches 80 to 90 points, sometimes higher.
If the higher bidder fails to make his bid he does not score; but his apponent’s score for that hand is doubled. Otherwise, both score as above.