Score! - Posted by Debby

Some people keep score, some don't. Shannon does, for cards anyway. A large part of the fun for many card players is the rush that comes with meeting a challenge. The thrill of victory. For a card game to be truly satisfying it needs to deliver on this thrill.

In its first incarnation, ours didn't.

Shannon made our very first All bid, taking every trick in a hand. Damon was thrilled. "That's awesome!" But Shannon didn't feel a rush. Losing 50 points out of 100, when those who made a zero bid lost 20 just wasn't satisfactory. All that work for a mere 30 point advantage.

Let me explain. In All or Nothing every player starts with a score of 100, aiming to lose points each hand to be the first to reach zero and win the game. Players who bid zero tricks and make their bid, will lose 20 points. Five solid zero bids in a row and one wins the game. For every trick a player is off a bid he/she gains 10 points. However, if a player bids all tricks and makes the bid, he/she now loses 100 points. Enough to win the game in the very first hand.

Believe me. That's a rush. It's not easy to win an All bid when your playmates are bent on sabotage. For me it’s well worth the risk. If I find myself with a hand of broken straights I'm all over it.