Rules of 500.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20298, 7 May 1934, Page 6

Rules of 500.

Dear Sir,—As a frequent player of " 500,‘ I was interested to read both the inquiry by "Joker” and your reply to his question concerning the Joker in 500 I have looked this up in the Official Rules of t ard Games, Hoyle Up-to-Date, and* I forward his ruling on the Joker in no trumps. Hoyle’s rule reads as follows: When the bid is No Trumps, the Joker is the onlv trump, and is practically a suit by itself. The holder of the Joker at No Trumps, not having the lead, is not allowed to trump with the Joker as long as he can follow suit. Haying none of the suit led, he can trump with the Joker, or discard, as he chooses. I trust that this ruling is the one used mostly in the game of "500,” and one that would be welcomed by some of your readers w-ho perhaps are not quite sure of the value of the Joker in a call of No Trumps.—l am, etc., NO TRUMPS. Players should be careful to agree, before they play, on the particular rule to be followed regarding the Joker. Hoyle’s rule is inconsistent in saying that the Joker u a trump in No Trumps, because if the holder leads it he must say what suit it belongs to. It is by no means “ a suit by itself,” for if it were the players should be allowed to discard anything they liked on it either in No Trumps or in a trump suit. The old rule is certainly sounder.—Ed. “ Star.”