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500 is a trick-taking card game played in many parts of the world. more...

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Geography/history

500 is an extension of Euchre and was originally invented in the United States by the United States Playing Card Company in the early 1900s. It is now also played in Australia, New Zealand, and French Canada.

500 is largely a social game and has not attracted the deep tactical analysis of bridge. When tactics are present, they may revolve around using various means to indicate to one's partner information about the hand one possesses, including agreements to make certain bids depending on whether one possesses specific cards (rather than on what the player believes they can realistically win), and surreptitious signals (by the tone of voice, exact words used to indicate bids, and so on).

Setup

Of the many variants to 500, the "standard" deck has 43 playing cards, the deuces, threes and black fours being removed and a Joker added. 10 cards are dealt to each player and three are dealt face down on the table to form the "kitty" (the "widow" or the "blind".) Alternatively, a 45 card deck can be used. In a 45-card game, the black 4's (or the 4's of spades and clubs) aren't removed. Each player still receives a hand of 10 cards, while the kitty consists of five cards.

Players play in pairs, usually opposite each other. Traditionally, a bundle of three cards is dealt to each player, one to the kitty, a bundle of four to each player, one to the kitty, a bundle of three to each player, one to the kitty or with a 45 card deck: the deal is performed by dealing three cards to each player, then placing three cards in the widow, four cards each and two to the widow, and then three.

As in Euchre, in non-trump suits, the order is the normal Ace high-King-Queen-Jack-10-9-8-7-6-5-(4) low. In the trump suit, the highest card is the Joker, then jack of trump, called the right bower, then the jack of the suit of the same color as the trump suit - the left bower. The left bower is considered part of the trump suit. So the order of cards in the trump suit is Joker-Right Bower-Left Bower-Ace-King-Queen-10-9-8-7-6-5-(4)

Bower is an Anglicization of the German Bauer, a word meaning farmer, peasant, or pawn. This name is often used to refer to the jack of German games. This is important later in the game, and is usually known by newcomers as the hardest part to learn about the game.

In Australia decks of cards are for sale especially for 500, with 11's 12's and red 13's included

Bidding

Bidding rules vary significantly. Common rules are described below. They may not be the rules used in your area.

Read more at Wikipedia.org