BIDDING KOZEL



OBJECT OF BIDDING KOZEL: The object of Bidding Kozel is to score the most points by the end of a round. 

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 to 5 players

MATERIALS: A modified deck of 52-cards, a way to keeps score, and a flat surface.

TYPE OF GAME: Trick-Taking Card Game

AUDIENCE: Adults


OVERVIEW OF BIDDING KOZEL

Bidding Kozel is a trick-taking card game for 2 to 5 players. The goal of the game is to win pots by having the highest score at the end of a round.

Bidding Kozel is typically played a gambling game, so players should determine before the game begins how much a stake is worth.

SETUP

All players ante an equal number of stakes into the pot. The deck must also be modified taking out all cards ranked 5 and lower. This leaves you with a 36-card deck.

The first dealer is chosen at random. The deck will be shuffled, and the dealer will give each player a 4-card hand. Cards are dealt one at a time. 

The next card is then revealed to determine the trump suit and the remaining stock is placed on top so that the suit still shows.

Card Ranking and Points

The ranking is Ace (high), 10, King, Queen, Jack, 9, 8, 7, and 6 (low). The aces are worth 11 points, 10s are worth 10, kings are worth 4 points, queens are worth 3 and jacks are worth 2 points. All other cards have no point value.

GAMEPLAY

The game starts with the player left of the dealer and passes clockwise around the table.

The first player will lead a trick by playing any card or a set of 3 cards of the same suit.

Following players do not need to follow suit but must play the same number of cards to the trick.

A single card is beaten by any higher-ranked card of the same suit or by any trump if the led card is not a trump. To beat a set of cards you must beat each card of the set individually with one of your cards played to the trick.

The player to win a trick collects all the cards that were played to it to their score pile. No player may look back at their score pile after the cards have been added. It is up to each individual to keep a mental count of their score.

All players will then refresh their hand back to 4 cards from the stockpile, pulling one card at a time in clockwise order starting from the winner of the trick. If there are not enough cards remaining to refill all player’s hands then no cards are drawn, and players finish the game with the remaining cards in their hands.

The next trick is led by the winner of the previous one.

END OF THE ROUND

After the round has concluded and all tricks have been played and won, the players tally their scores. The winner is the player with the most points. If there is a tie the pot is then divided amongst all winners.

They collect the ante, and a new round is started with everyone paying an equal number of stakes once again. The player who won the pot becomes the new dealer. In the case of the tie, the closest to the left of the last dealer becomes the new one.

SPECIAL SETS

There are two special combinations you can play/have in hand that automatically win you the pot. These include Bura and aces.

For Bura, you must play any 3 trumps to the trick. For Aces, 4 aces must be held in hand.

A player who plays a Bura or has 4 aces in hand ends the round and wins the pot. If multiple players have Buras, then the trick is played with all Buras being played out, and the Buras that wins the trick wins the pot.

Amber Crook
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