Quattro Trick-Taking
Quattro Trick-Taking Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
Quattro Trick-taking is a trick-taking game in which players compete with different scoring methods. Players compete in four completely different bid methods, such as bidding on the sum of the cards to win with, planning which color to win tricks with, and so on.
Components
Game Card
48 cards (1~12 × 4 colors)
Bidding Set
The "A" set: 2 cards & 2 chips
The "B" set: 1 card & 4 chips
The "C" set: 12 chips (Front: red/blue/green/yellow x3 | Back: white)
The "D" set: 5 Mission cards (1 mission on each side)
Setup
Setup Game Card
3-player game: Use game cards from 1 to 9 and the AC sets. Put away 1012 game cards and the D set.
4-player game: Use all game cards and bidding sets.
Shuffle all the game cards in the game and deal them to players equally. Determine the first dealer (starting player), who then receives the "A" set. The other players follow in a clockwise order, receiving their bidding set.
Each player bids based on the bidding set and the hand they received. Bidding sets have different bidding methods (see Bidding for details).
Players score points by matching the round result and their bid. The player with the most points wins.
How to Play
The player with the "A" set becomes the first dealer of the round. The dealer starts a trick by playing a card, followed by the other players in a clockwise order.
The dealer may play any card of their choice; the following players must play a card of the same color if possible. If a player doesn't have the color in their hand, they may pick any card. Once everyone has played a card, resolve the trick.
Resolving a Trick
No red card is in play: Among the players (including the dealer) who played the same color as the dealer, the one with the highest number wins the trick. The other color(s) cannot win tricks regardless of the number.
Example: The dealer plays yellow 10. The next player plays blue 12, then yellow 7, then yellow 12. Yellow 12 wins the trick — blue cannot win, since blue is not the dealer's color, and among the yellow cards played (10, 7, 12), 12 is the highest.
Red card(s) is in play: The player with a red card wins the trick. If there is more than one red card played, the applicable player with the highest number wins the trick.
Example: The dealer plays green 10. The next player plays red 6, then green 6, then green 4. Red 6 wins the trick regardless of the green cards' numbers, since a red card is in play.
The winner of a trick takes all the cards played and places the stack in front of them unless their bidding set instructs otherwise. They then become the next dealer and start the next trick in the same way–players play cards clockwise and resolve it. Repeat tricks until all cards have been played, and a round ends. Each player scores points if their bid meets their end-of-round condition (scoring and bidding are detailed later).
Once everyone finishes scoring, give the bidding set to the left-hand player.
Recollect and shuffle the game cards and deal them equally again. The player with the "A" set starts bidding followed by the others. Once bidding is complete, the next round begins.
Play as many rounds as there are players, which means everyone would play each bidding set once. When all rounds are complete, the player with the highest score wins. In case of a tie, share the victory.
Bidding
The "A" set (Sum-Board Set)
Bid on the sum of all the cards you would win tricks with. Put two cards together to form the Sum Board. Pick two numbers on the board and place two chips on them. When you win a trick, take all the cards played in a stack with your card on top, leaving it face up while the others face down. When a round ends, add up all the face-up cards in your stacks. If the total matches one of your bids, score denoted points.
*5, 15, and 25 can be achieved with any of them; if the player simultaneously achieved this condition and another (e.g. 1~6), score only for the higher one (7 points).
The "B" set (Not Set)
Bid on colors/numbers you don't wish to win tricks with. Place the chips in the applicable section(s) on the card (one or more). Score points if you end the round without winning tricks with any of the bid colors (blue/red/yellow/green) or numbers (even/odd) with the chips on. You cannot score if you have won one or more tricks with any of the bid colors/numbers. Score points equal to (the number of tricks won) × (the sum of all points on the card).
Example: You don't want to win with blue or odd numbers. If you finish the round successfully, you score (the number of tricks they won) × (1+2).
The "C" set (Color-Chip Set)
Bid on the number of tricks you would win and with what colors. Place the desired number of chips in front. Placing a red chip means you would win a trick with red. You may also place a chip face-down on its white side, which means you would win a trick regardless of the color. Use as many of the 12 chips and put the rest aside to separate from the bid. For example, the bid of 2x blue, 1x red and 1x white means the player would win 2 tricks with blue cards, 1 trick with a red card, and 1 more trick with any color.
When you win a trick, take all the cards in play in a stack, place them in front, and place the corresponding chip from the bid chips onto the stack to show that the bid has been achieved. White (face-down) chips can be placed on any stack. For example, if you win a trick with a blue card, move a blue chip from your bid chips onto the stack to show it's achieved. (In special conditions described below, you may choose a different color.)
Special Condition: If you did not have the color the dealer played and won the trick with red, you may treat it as if you have won with the dealer's color.
Example: You didn't have a blue card and won with a red. The dealer, holding blue 12, is followed by a player who plays blue 4, then a player who plays red 6 and wins the trick. In this case, that player may choose a red chip to achieve, or a blue chip — the dealer's color.
Score points if you finish a round with the exact same condition as your bid; score 1 point for each white chip (face-down) and 2 points for each colored chip. You cannot score if you have won more or fewer tricks than the bid or didn't win a trick with the bid color(s).
The "D" set (Mission Set)
Pick 1 to 5 Mission cards and place them in front, face up in the right orientation to you. There are 10 missions on the 5 cards (one on each side). You can pick only one side of a card; therefore even if both missions seem achievable, you must pick one. Put the unused Mission cards aside to separate them from your bid.
When you win a trick, take all the played cards in a stack and put them in front face down. When a bid mission is achieved during the round, turn the corresponding Mission card to its side to differentiate.
Example: In the example above, this player has taken two 7s and therefore turned the Mission card [Take two 7s] to its side. Score points if you have achieved all the Mission cards you bid (turned to its side) at the end of a round. You cannot score if you fail to achieve one or more missions. (Be careful not to pick impossible missions.)
Missions
Win two consecutive tricks: At any point during a round, win two consecutive tricks.
Avoid consecutive wins: Don't win two consecutive tricks. You fail if you win a trick and another right after. This mission is achieved even if you don't win any tricks.
Win with 4, 5 or 6: Win at least one trick with 4, 5 or 6. This mission is achieved as long as you win once during the round.
Win with 1, 2 or 3: Win at least one trick with 1, 2, or 3. This mission is achieved as long as you win once during the round.
Win one of the last two tricks: Win the 11th or 12th (final) trick. You may win both.
Win the last trick: Win the 12th trick to achieve.
Take two 7s: If you win tricks with a 7(s) in them, put it on top of the stack face up (so the other players can see how many 7s you have taken). Achieve this mission by taking two 7s.
Take three 7s: If you win tricks with a 7(s) in them, put it on top of the stack face up (so the other players can see how many 7s you have taken). Achieve this mission by taking three 7s.
Take 3 or fewer colors or none: Avoid taking all of 4 colors. If you win a trick with a color(s) you have not taken this round, put it in front of you face up. Take the remaining cards in a stack as normally done. Achieve this mission by having 3 or fewer colors in front of you at the end of the round. Taking 0 tricks is also applicable.
Win with 4 colors: Win tricks with all 4 colors in your hand. If you win a trick by playing a color you have not won a trick with this round, put it in front of you face up. Take the remaining cards in a stack as normally done. Achieve this mission by having 4 colors face up at the end of the round.
Custom Rules
Players may incorporate the following custom rules to modify the gameplay.
Set-Selection Rules
Before moving on to the next round, from the lowest score to the highest (if tied, the one further from the last round's starting player), players pick a bidding set of their choice from the remaining ones. Once everyone has a set, the next round starts. The lefthand player to the last round's starting player becomes the next first dealer (starting player), who then starts the new round by bidding.
Starting Choice Rules
Before moving on to the next round, from the player with the lowest score to the highest (if tied, the one further from the last round's starting player), players choose to (a) receive a bidding set they want to play with or (b) be the first dealer (starting player) of the next round. The one who chooses to be the first dealer receives the last set. Once everyone has a set, the next round starts. The player who chose the first dealer option is the first dealer of the next round and starts the round by bidding. (With these rules applied, the player with the A set doesn't necessarily become the first dealer of a round.)