Svoi Kozyri (2 player card game)

“Svoi Kozyri,” also known as “Our Trumps,” is a popular Russian card game usually played by three or more players, but it can be adapted for two players with some adjustments. Here’s how to play:

Setup:

1. Use a standard 36-card deck (remove all cards below 6 in each suit). Shuffle the deck thoroughly and deal 6 cards to each player.
2. Place the remaining deck face-down in the center as the draw pile.

Objective: The objective of Svoi Kozyri is to be the first player to collect a certain number of points by winning tricks.

Gameplay:

1. Player 1 starts the game by playing a card from their hand face-up onto the table.
2. Player 2 must then play a card from their hand face-up onto the table. They must follow suit if possible. If not, they can play any card.
3. The player who plays the highest-ranking card of the same suit as the leading card wins the trick and collects the cards played. They place the won cards face-down in front of them.
4. If a player cannot follow suit, they can play any card, including a trump card if they have one.
5. Trump cards are determined before the game starts. The highest-ranking trump card beats any other suit.
6. After each trick, the player who won the previous trick leads the next one.
7. The game continues with players taking turns playing cards until all cards have been played.

Scoring:

• In Svoi Kozyri, players earn points based on the cards they have collected in tricks.
• Each Ace is worth 11 points, each Ten is worth 10 points, and each King is worth 4 points. All other cards are worth 0 points.
• The first player to reach a predetermined point threshold (e.g., 50 points) wins the game.

Adaptation for 2 Players:

• In the two-player version, players take turns leading tricks, following the same rules as in the standard game.
• To compensate for the reduced number of players, you can increase the starting number of cards dealt to each player (e.g., deal 8 cards instead of 6).
• Since there are only two players, the game may involve more strategic decision-making as players try to anticipate and outmaneuver their opponent’s moves.

Summary: In this adapted version of Svoi Kozyri, tailored for a 2-player setting, players compete to collect tricks and earn points by playing cards strategically. By adjusting the gameplay and scoring system, Svoi Kozyri becomes an engaging 2 player card game of strategy and skill, despite its usual design for more players.