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STORTOK

This game previously appeared here under the Norwegian name Kjempetosk, because Anthony Smith found it under that name in a Norwegian book: Cappelens Kortspillbok. However this turned out to be a literal translation of a Swedish description by Ulf Schenkmanis, which appears for example in his book Kortspel & Patiencer. It therefore seems more appropriate to call it by its Swedish name Stortok.

The name of this game means "Great Fool". The rules as supplied were unclear in a couple of places and have been completed by analogy with related Russian games.

Players and Cards

The game is for 2 to 5 players using 36 card pack ranking A(high) K Q J T 9 8 7 6(low) (from a standard 52 card pack remove the cards below 6). [The game is played clockwise.]

Object of the game

To get rid of all one's cards. The last player who is left with cards is the loser and is called the "Great Fool".

Deal and Trumps

Each player is dealt 5 cards, and the remaining cards are placed face down on the table to form a stock. The top card of the stock is turned and placed face up to the left of the stock. This face up card forms the start of the discard pile and determines trumps. There are two trump suits, High Trumps and Low Trumps. The suit of the turned up card is the High trump suit, and the other suit of the same colour is the Low trump suit. For example if you turn the 8 of spades, spades are High Trumps and clubs are Low Trumps.

The Play

Forehand [the player to the left of the dealer] begins by beating the card in the discard heap, the next player beats this card, and so on until everyone has played one card. Any card can be beaten by a higher card of the suit led. A card of a non-trump suit can be beaten by a Low Trump or a High Trump. A Low Trump can be beaten by a High Trump.

If each player beats the previous card, then when everyone has played one card, the "trick" is complete. The winner of the trick (i.e. the player who played the last card), plays any card to the discard pile to start a new trick.

A player who is unable or unwilling to beat the previous card must pick up that card (in particular Forehand may pick up the first card of the discard heap). The next player may then play any card to start a new trick.

Each time a card is played on the discard pile, the player must immediately replace it in his hand by drawing a card from the top of the stock, if there is one. When the stock is exhausted, the players continue to play with the cards in their hands. As players run out of cards they drop out of the game. The last player left with cards is the "Great Fool".

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