Each of these variants may be combined. You are also welcome to try out any variants of your own.
No Good Spies
The Blue, Yellow, Red and Green Spies do not affect the score (they are worth 0 points). This results in each deal having a total value of 80 points.
Capture or Release
If one player takes all the black cards in one deal, that player may choose to subtract 60 points from his score instead of giving each other player 60 points (as per the normal rule).
When one player succeeds in getting all the black cards in one deal, the Blue, Yellow, Red, and Green Spies are worth 0. This last point will already be in effect when playing with the No Good Spies variant.
The Mole
The dealer deals the first hand normally. Starting with the second deal and before distributing the cards to the players, the dealer sets aside three cards per player (e.g. 12 cards in a four-player game, 15 cards in a five-player game, etc).. These cards represent "The Mole". The remaining cards are dealt among the players normally.
At the end of a deal, the player with the highest score takes "The Mole" and selects any three cards from it. He then gives the remaining Mole cards to the player with the next highest score, who also selects three cards.
After choosing his cards, that player gives the remaining Mole cards to the third player with the highest score and so forth. The player with the lowest score will get the last three cards, which he must add to his hand.
In case of any ties for the highest score, the youngest player is always the first to choose his cards from "The Mole".
Calling Color
After the pass, the dealer calls a color other than black, after looking at his hand. The player to his left must lead with that color on the first trick. If that player cannot, then lead passes to the player to his left, and so forth until a player can lead with a card of that color.
Beginning with the second trick, the player to lead may play any card. When playing with this variant, the player with the Red 1 does not lead the first trick.
Following Rank
A player may now play a card of the same rank as the card that the player to his right played (the player who plays before him) in addition to being able to play a card of the same color that was lead, or the same rank that was lead.
Going Back
A player must exceed the end-value to end the game. A player who gets exactly the end-value decreases his score by half. In addition, a player who gets exactly half of the end-value decreases his score by half.
Example in a three-player game: A player must get 201 points or more to end the game. A player who reaches a score of exactly 200 points goes back to 100 points. In addition, a player who gets exactly 100 points goes back to a score of 50 points.
Continue Reading