Cards and Conversation, February 10, 2025 632 words

Today is International Cribbage Day. This game is from two to four players. It combines a peg board to keep track of each player’s score. Eight dealt hands make a game. Using the cards dealt plus consider the four cards in the kitty, one must play their cards to collect the most points. Extra points are given if a player is able to lay down 15 or 31 points. The first player to reach a score of 121 points is the winner. This score corresponds to reaching the end of the cribbage board.
My Grandpa Al loved this game. He taught his grandchildren to play. Strategy and math skills are needed to win. Sadly, I never mastered math until long after he died. However, I did inherit love of card games.
Each Saturday, I would call my friend Sarah to see who would host the card game that week. Our game of choice was Canasta. It is played with a double deck of cards and both jokers. Gathering melds of seven cards and single cards to complete the opponent’s melds. The first player or team to reach 500 points is the winner. One game of Canasta would last all morning. The host would offer a prize for the winner. This is the way I lost my ceramic baby elephants. The winner could choose one of the possessions from the other player.
Gin Rummy was another favorite. This game involved keeping your cards until ready to lay down all cards. With a flourish, the winner lays down his or her hand all at once.
Grandma Heatley liked to play the game of hearts. The object of the game is to collect the fewest points by taking tricks and avoiding the Queen of spades. One tries to rid their hand of hearts by discarding card on the discard pile. If a player can’t play, he or she must pick a card. The game ends when all the cards are picked or a player lays down their cards.
The Queen of spades is worth 13 points. The ace of hearts is worth 4 points and can be used as a wild card to play for any other card.
As I matured, I would prefer Euchre and bridge. Both games take ricks and play with a partner.T he first team to score 10 points wins. The euchre deck consists of 24 cards , the nines through the aces. Both euchre and bridge can have one of the players lay down their hand to be a dummy. The cards will be played by the partner as the dummy stays silent.
As an adult, My husband and I played euchre with neighbors. The host couple offered refreshments of coffee and a dessert during the evening. First, second and last place were awarded prizes. I was noted to take the last place prize.
When I was alone, I would entertain myself with different solitaire games. My favorite was with the cards passed out in the shape of a clock, 12 stacks of cards the 13 stack was in the middle of the circle. I would take the first card from the middle and start to put the card number under that corresponding place around the clock face. If I had all the cards in the correct placement before I ran out of cards from the middle, I won. It was a great way to put the cards in order before putting them away.
Now many people play cards digitally. I love the feel of the cards and the snap as they are turned and placed in the correct order.
“Anyone up for a card game?”
Poem. ***
Cribbage cards, folding board
pegs found in sliding drawer
four colors, around the board
121 the winning score
carolaspot@aol.com 2/10/25 copyrighted