Trix Complex

How to play

1. 52 cards, 13 each, ace high. Whoever holds the 7♥ in the first deal owns the first kingdom.
2. Each kingdom has two contracts, Complex and Trix, in the order its owner chooses. Then the kingdom passes to the player on their right.
3. In Complex the owner leads, you must follow suit if you can, there are no trumps, and all 13 tricks are played.
4. Complex has every penalty at once: 75 for the K♥, 25 for each queen, 10 for each diamond and 15 for each trick. The Q♦ is a queen and a diamond (35).
5. Doubling: before the first lead, whoever holds the K♥ or a queen may show it. Its taker then loses double (150 or 50) and the player who showed it gains its value once (75 or 25), even if they take it themselves.
6. Trix: a jack starts each suit's line, which then builds up to the ace and down to the 2; a card goes only next to an end of its line. You must play if you can, otherwise you pass.

Scoring and winning

• In Trix the first player out scores 200, the second 150, the third 100 and the last 50.
• Every kingdom sums to zero: Complex costs 500 in all and Trix gives 500.
• After four kingdoms (8 deals) the highest total wins.