Fishing Casino Game
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| Origin | England |
|---|---|
| Type | Fishing |
| Family | Matching |
| Players | 2–4 |
| Skills required | Tactics |
| Cards | 52 |
| Deck | Anglo-American |
| Play | Clockwise |
| Playing time | 10-15 min. |
| Random chance | Medium |
| Related games | |
| Escoba, Scopa, Skwitz, Zwickern | |
Cassino (US) or Casino (Europe), is a fishing card game, often said without substantiation to be of Italian origin, for two, three, four (possibly in two partnerships), or even theoretically five players. It is the only fishing game to have penetrated the English-speaking world. It is mostly played by two with a standard deck of playing cards, the object of the game being to score 21 points by fishing up cards displayed on the table. It is very similar to the later Italian game Scopa.
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- Casino is the only fishing game to have become popular in English speaking countries. Although it is traditionally supposed to have originated in Italy, there is no direct evidence of it having been played there, at least under that name, though many other Italian fishing games are known.
History[edit]
Although Cassino is often said to be of Italian origin, despite detailed research by Pratesi, there is no evidence of it ever being played in Italy and the earliest references to its Italian cousins, Scopa and Scopone, post-date those of Cassino.[1]
In fact, as 'Casino', the game is first recorded in 1792 in England[2] where it appears to have become something of a fashionable craze.[1] At that stage, sweeps were not part of the rules – that came later.[1]
One country to follow hard on English heels was Austria-Hungary where, as early as 1795 in Vienna and Prague, rules were published that incorporated English terminology such as “sweep” and “lurch.”[3] Rules continued to be published in German until at least 1975.[4]
However, while the game began to fade away in England, it was in America that Cassino gained its second wind in the second half of the 19th century, largely due to several interesting new variants that emerged, including what became Royal Cassino, in which court cards were given a numerical value such that they could capture two or more cards, Spade Cassino, in which players scored for the most Spades, and Diamond Cassino, in which three cards are dealt instead of four. In America, it was eventually eclipsed by Gin Rummy.[1]
The deal[edit]
The dealer deals four cards to each player and four cards face up in the center. Traditionally, the deal is in twos: two cards at a time to each player. The remainder of the deck is temporarily put aside. After everyone has played their four cards, another hand of four cards is dealt to each player from the remaining cards (two at a time), but no more cards are dealt to the table after the first deal. After these cards have been played there is another deal, and this continues until all 52 cards have been dealt. The dealer announces 'cards' when dealing the last cards. After the last cards have been played, and the hand scored, the deal passes to the left for the next round.
The play[edit]
Beginning with the player to the dealer's left, each player plays one card at a time, performing one (or more) of the following actions:
- Trailing: Any card may be discarded face up to the table.
- Pairing: Any card may be used to take one or more cards of the same number, or a build with the same value, that is face up on the table.
- Combining: A number card may be used to take two or more cards whose pips total the number on the card being used to take them. For example, a player may take a 3 and a 6 with a 9, or may take a 2, 4, and 4 with a 10.
- Building: Cards may be built upon in one of two ways (see Building).
Players may perform two of the above actions only when pairing and combining simultaneously; e.g. a player may take a 3, a 4 and a 7 with his own seven.
Players with builds on the table are limited in the actions they are permitted to make. This is described in more detail below.
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Face cards do not have a denomination in Cassino and are not available for building. The face-cards may only be paired one at a time; if there are two queens on the table, only one queen can be paired up. This removes the possibility of a so-called 'orphan' face card remaining and preventing further sweeps.
An ace has a numerical value of 1.
Cards are usually left on the table after each player's final hand is exhausted. These cards are given to the last player to take in cards through pairing or combining. It is common for the dealer, if dealt a face-card in the final hand, to hold this until the final play, as they are certain to pair with it.
Building[edit]
Under the first type of building, a player may lay one card on top of another if their total equals the total of a card in their hand, and announce that the two cards are built to the total. For example, a player may build a 2 onto a 7 and announce 'building nine,' provided they have a 9 in their hand. The two cards cannot be split up for pairing or combining and are treated as a single nine.
Builds of this type may be taken in by any player by pairing. The building player's adversaries may also take in a build by combination, increasing the capturing number; that is, an eight build may be combined with an ace if an adversary holds a nine. Any player may also continue to build on a build, for example, a seven build could be built to nine by a player with a 2 and a 9. The player who originally builds may also re-build, but only if they hold all appropriate cards: they would have to hold both a 7 and a 9 to make the required building steps.
Under the second type of building, called 'multiple building,' 'natural building', or 'double building,' a player may lay one card on top of another if their values are the same, and announce that the two cards are built together. That is, a player can place a 7 on top of another 7, or on top of a 5 and a 2 which have been built to 7, and announce 'building sevens,' provided that he has a 7 in his hand. The built cards are gathered only with another 7. As with the first build type, a player must hold the card necessary to gather his build for the natural build to be permissible. Importantly, the capturing number of a multiple build can never be changed.[5]
An optional rule is that, when building in this manner, players may combine other cards on the table, and build in the first manner. For example, suppose the cards on the table are 2 K 6 5 8, and the player holds a 3 and an 8. They may play their 3 onto the 5 to 'build eight' and in the same move 'build eights' by gathering the 5-3, the 8, and the 6-2 together onto one pile, taking in all five cards on their next play.
Advantages gained through building[edit]
Building exists as a means of protecting cards from being captured by adversaries. The first form of building is a weaker form of protection, and primarily protects cards against combination by mid-to-high range cards. Natural building is a much stronger protection, and prevents adversaries from taking cards unless they hold a card of specific face value, one of which the builder already knows resides in their own hand.
The value of building decreases significantly as the number of players in the game increases. In a two-player game, one requires only one adversary to be bereft of the necessary cards; in a four-player game, one requires three adversaries to be lacking the necessary cards to steal a build. As such, building effectively in a two-player game can be very advantageous, but in a four-player game is very difficult.
Acting with builds on the table[edit]
At least three rule variants exist dictating the actions which may be taken by a player who has a build on the table:
- Variant 1: a player with a build on the table is not permitted to trail a card until that build has been taken in or rebuilt upon by an adversary; they may, however, pair or continue their 'build' with any card on the table.
- Variant 2: a player with a build on the table is obliged to either take in that build, by pairing or combination, or to add to that build on their next turn.
- Variant 3: A player with a build on the table cannot trail. Play must initiate from the hand. Continuing a build from only cards on the table is not allowed. You must either take in the build, duplicate it or increase it, OR defer by starting another build or assuming ownership of an opponent's build. A build 'belongs' to the last player that set its value. You may assume ownership of a build started by another by increasing it. But only if it consists of a single combination, i.e., not duplicated. You may have more than one build, but only one of any particular value, and having a build of the same value of another (an adversary's) makes no sense at all.
While Hoyle recommends variant 1, all variants are very common in different regions. The regional variant of this rule in particular should always be checked before play.
Which variant is used changes the tactics, particularly in a two-player game. Under variant 1, the builder has a profound advantage; if they know that their adversary lacks the cards necessary to steal their build, they can often take several cards trailed by their adversary before taking in their build at the end of the round. Variant 2 allows the adversary to trail a card they wish to subsequently capture without the risk of it being taken, reducing the builder's advantage.
Scoring[edit]
The round is over when the stock has been exhausted, and the last deal played. Players count their tricks and score points as follows:
- Higher number of cards: 3
- Higher number of spades: 1
- 10 of diamonds ('big cassino', 'big ten', or 'good ten'): 2
- 2 of spades: ('little cassino', 'little deuce', 'good two', or 'spy two'): 1
- Each ace: 1
- Each clearing of the board known as a 'Sweep' : 1 extra point
If 'most cards' or 'most spades' are held by two or more players, no points are awarded in that category.[5]
Thus there are 11 points to be won in each round if there are no sweeps scored and there is not a tie for number of cards. Typically, when at least one player has reached a score of 21 or more at the end of a round, the winner is the player to score the highest after tallying points.
In one two-player variation, a player can call for a game to be concluded once they are convinced they hold sufficient cards to bring their score to 21; if they do have 21 points, they win regardless of their adversary's score; if they do not have 21 points, their adversary wins.
All 11 Points[edit]
If one player has won the entire 11 points, some rules state that this player will be awarded an extra point for 12 total points in the round. Other rules state that this is a 'skunk' if it occurs in the first round, and therefore that player wins. In other variations, taking all traditional 11 points in a single round is an automatic win, no matter when it occurs.
Three players in the game can share 11 points and one must lose with fewer points out of 11 points; this is a perfect balancing.[vague]
Rules variants[edit]
Sweeps[edit]
A sweep is declared by a player who manages to capture all face-up cards from the table. In some localities, each sweep is worth an additional point. The opponent has no move except to trail, and a follow-on sweep may result. Points for sweeps are awarded after the base 11 points, in the event that two players reach 21 in the same round. In another variation, trailing the five of spades sweeps the table, the sweep giving one point.
Sudden-death scoring[edit]
There is a variation in which sweeps are scored as they occur; if the sweeper had 20 points (or more, due to a tie score), the sweep would end the round instantly. A scoring variation in which each point card is scored as it is captured also exists.[5]
In a variation devised in Michigan,[citation needed] a player who defaults on his duty after building gives up 2 points at the time of the violation. This is sometimes an acceptable cost to trap cards from the other player in builds the player cannot take. Sweeps also score 2 points. In a series of 'rounds to 5,' any three instant scores (sweeps or defaults) against the same player ends the round.
These sudden-death variations make short-term tactics more important in certain situations than the longer-term goal of achieving the high score for the round.
Face cards[edit]
In some regions, all four face-cards of the same rank may be gathered simultaneously. This allows natural building with face-cards, while still removing the possibility of an 'orphan' card. However, this provides no particular advantage if all four face cards are shared between one player and the table, as is necessary to build in such a manner.
Initial Pairs[edit]
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Any pairs dealt to the table at the start of the round may be automatically granted to the first player to move, regardless of whether or not that player has a card to capture them. These cards cannot be built upon, but multiple pairs may constitute an automatic sweep if the table is cleared this way. This rule variation is intended to counteract the advantage of later players' ability to poach or modify builds started by the first player, by awarding extra points at the start.
Game variations[edit]
Five players[edit]
Five-player Cassino can be played by removing the deuces of hearts, diamonds and clubs, and by giving an extra card to each player on the last deal.
Royal Cassino[edit]
In Royal Cassino, face cards are given number values upon which building may occur: jacks count as 11, queens as 12, kings as 13. For example, a player could combine a jack and a two with a king, since 11+2=13, and all applicable building laws remain. An Ace is 1 or 14, the player's choice. If trailed, it is not yet determined. If not, it is fixed. There are no 'Face Cards'. Sweeps do not count. The total points is always 11. You may play to 6 or 21. Ties are possible if no one has the majority of spades, broken by another hand played for 6.
In Buckeye Cassino, all rules of Royal Cassino are inherited. In addition, the ten of diamonds ('Big Ten') holds two values: ten and eleven, poking fun at college basketball's Big Ten Conference, which then consisted of 11 teams.
Trailing-royals Cassino[edit]
In the Trailing-royals Cassino variant, orphaned face cards are not considered a problem. Face cards may be naturally built or paired in any way, so a player may gather three of the same face card simultaneously. The remaining face card will be an orphan, because there is no card left with which to capture it. Such cards remain on the table until the end of the round, and are taken by whoever performed the final capture, as are all other cards left on the table. This method of play does not pair well with the preceding variant that rewards sweeps, because having orphaned cards on the table prevents sweeps.
Pluck Cassino[edit]
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Pluck Cassino is a modern variation that follows all the rules of classic Cassino, with an optional additional play option called 'pluck'. Each player has one opportunity each time cards are dealt to 'pluck' a card from the table and add it to their pile of 'won' cards. Players still need to play a card on their turn, plucking is an additional move that they can make either before or after playing their card. The player may pluck at any time during play of that deal, with the following restrictions:
- Point cards cannot be plucked - so plucking excludes aces, big casino (10 of diamonds) and little casino (2 of spades).
- Plucking cannot be done when there is only one card left on the table, i.e. sweeping with a pluck is disallowed.
- Plucking cannot be used to get the last trick of the round (after the deal pile is exhausted).
- Players are not allowed to pluck a card they just played on the same turn.
Portuguese Cassino[edit]
The gameplay of Portuguese Cassino is the same as the Italian version[vague], except for the following differences:
- The game is either 2 player or 4 players split in 2 teams
- The first player/ team to reach 31 points or more is declared the winner.
- Scoring: points allocation are as follows:
- Highest number of cards: 3
- Highest number of spades: 1
- 10 of diamonds ('menina'): 2
- 2 of spades: 1
- Each ace: 1
- Each clearing of the board known as a 'clearance' ('clareza') : 1 extra point
If both players/teams finish the round with 26 cards each, the player/team with the most spades is awarded the points for most cards.
California Cassino[edit]
California Cassino is a variation for two, three, four or six players, played with a standard deck of cards. The object is to score the most points through acquiring certain cards or by acquiring a certain number of cards.
The play[edit]
The dealer deals four cards to each player, one at a time, and, in the first deal, four cards face up to the table. This is the only point at which cards are placed on the table by the dealer. Beginning with the player to the dealer's left, each player plays one card at a time, performing one of the following actions:
- Laying: Any card need to be discarded face up to the table.
- Pairing: Any card can be used to take another card of the same rank, or build with the same value (to know what the build is, please continue reading).
- Adding: A number card need to be used to take two or more cards whose rank total the number on the card being used to take them. For example: a player needs to take a 2 and a 5 with a 7, or may take a 2, 4, and 4 with a 10.
- Building: Cards need to be placed upon one another to draw a new value on the table. The way for this way is listed below.
Face cards don't have a denomination and are not available for combining or building, though multiple face cards can be paired simultaneously. For example, if a player has a queen in their hand and two queens lie on the table, that player can acquire all three queens.
While other forms of cassino use 'sweeps,' a point for clearing the table, California Cassino prohibits points based on sweeps. Cards are usually left on the table after each player's final hand is exhausted. These cards are given to the last player to take in cards through pairing or combining.
Scoring[edit]
The round is over when the deck has been exhausted and the last deal played. Players count their cards and score points as follows:
- Higher number of cards: 3
- Higher number of spades: 1
- 10 of diamonds ('big cassino' or 'good ten'): 2
- 2 of spades: ('little cassino' or 'good two'): 1
- Each ace: 1 (4 points total for aces)
There are 11 points to be won in each round. If 'most cards' or 'most spades' are held by two or more players, no points are awarded in those respective categories. The number of rounds played is determined by the number of players present. Each player must deal twice in a complete match, so if there are 3 players, then there are 6 rounds of play. At the end of the 6 rounds - the player with the highest score is the winner.
Diamond Cassino[edit]
Diamond Cassino is a variant of Cassino which is similar to standard Cassino, but it is not played with the picture cards. It is, therefore, played with a forty-card pack. Players are dealt three cards each, and four cards are dealt to the table; these are the cards which the players aim to capture. In this game, players get points if they capture all aces, and extra points if they capture the seven of diamonds. Diamond Cassino has been described as an Italo-American version of Scopone.
Callabra[edit]
In this game, each player is dealt three cards, and five are dealt to the table. Players may trail or take cards from the table, if they have cards which match the cards on the table, or if they have two cards which add up to a card on the table and equal the table card's value. In this game, Jacks are worth eleven points, Queens are worth twelve points and Kings are worth thirteen points. Game ends when a player finally clears all the cards from the table.[6]
Tablanette[edit]
Tablanette is said to be of Russian provenance. In this game, each player has six cards, and a player with a jack may use it to clear the whole table. At the end of a round, players score points for holding the most cards, and extra points if they are holding picturecards.[7]
Spade Cassino[edit]
In Spade Cassino, players are awarded two points for gathering the jack of spades, and one point for each additional spade, in addition to the one point awarded to the player with the most spades. This lifts the number of points awarded in one round to 25. A game of Spade Cassino is usually played to 61.
Draw Cassino[edit]
In Draw Cassino, players draw a replacement card each time they make a play, so that they always have four cards in hand (until the end), rather than being dealt cards in discrete rounds of four.
See also[edit]
Fishing Frenzy Casino Game
References[edit]
- ^ abcdPratesi 1995, pp. 6-12. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPratesi1995 (help)
- ^Long 1792. sfn error: no target: CITEREFLong1792 (help)
- ^_ 1795, pp. 395-406. sfn error: no target: CITEREF_1795 (help)
- ^Grupp 1975, pp. 55-57. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGrupp1975 (help)
- ^ abc'Rules of Card Games: Casino'. www.pagat.com. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- ^The Penguin Book of Card Games
- ^The Penguin Book of Card Games (Penguin, 1979).
Literature[edit]
- _ (1793). The Conjuror's Magazine, Locke, London. January issue, 'Short Rules For Playing The Game Of Cassino'
- _ (1795). Der beliebte Weltmensch. Joseph Gerold, Vienna.
- Grupp, Claus D. (1975/79). Kartenspiele. Falken, Niedernhausen. ISBN3-8068-2001-5.
- Long, Robert (1792). Short Rules for Playing the Game of Casino, J Owens, London.
- Pratesi, Franco (1995). 'Casino From Nowhere to Vaguely Everywhere' in The Playing-Card, Vol. XXIV, No. 1, Jul/Aug 1995, ISSN 0305-2133.
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cassino_(card_game)&oldid=1006555145'
This page is partly based on contributions from Kim Scarborough, Janet Levy, Scott Grengs and Rachel Hooley. The historical introduction draws on an article by Franco Pratesi: Casino from Nowhere to Vaguely Everywhere (originally published in The Playing-Card Vol XXIV No 1 July/Aug 1995 pages 6-11)
Introduction
Casino is the only fishing game to have become popular in English speaking countries. Although it is traditionally supposed to have originated in Italy, there is no direct evidence of it having been played there, at least under that name, though many other Italian fishing games are known. Casino first appears in the card game literature at the end of the eighteenth century in London, and shortly afterwards in Germany. In the late nineteenth century it became fashionable in America and a number of new variations were developed. There is a dispute about the correct spelling of the name - the earliest sources use the spelling Casino, but a tradition has grown up among later writers to spell it with a double 's': Cassino.
The aim in Casino is to capture cards from a layout of face up cards on the table. A card is captured by playing a matching card from hand. It is also possible to capture several cards at once if their values add up to the value of the card played. Captured cards are stored face down in front of the player who captured them and scored at the end of the play. Cards from hand can also be combined with table cards into builds, which can only be captured as a unit.
This page describes the most usual Anglo-American version of Casino in which picture cards, not having a numerical value, can only capture an equal picture. There are many variants in which picture cards also have numerical values. In English-speaking countries this type of game is known as Royal Casino, and interesting versions of it are popular in various parts of the world. On other pages of this site there are descriptions of:
- Royal Casino and the version played in the Dominican Republic, which features different scoring in the endgame;
- Casino in Southern Africa (Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa), where cards can be from opponents' capture piles can be reused in builds;
- Casino (Kasino) in Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway and Finland) which is usually played without building;
- Krypkasino, a reverse variant from Sweden in which the aim is to avoid capturing cards.
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Players and Cards
The game works best with from 2 to 4 players, though in theory more could take part. It has the distinction of being one of the few games which will deal out evenly to two, three, or four players. Four players can play in partnerships, two against two, with partners sitting opposite each other.
A regular 52 card deck is used. Each numeral card (ace-ten) is counted as its numerical value (ace = 1, two = 2, etc). Picked up cards are accumulated in a pile to be counted at the end of the round.
The Deal
The dealer deals four cards to each player and four cards face up in the centre (these centre cards are laid out separately so that all are visible). Traditionally, the deal is in twos: two cards to each other player, two to the table, then two to the dealer, then repeat. However, some players prefer to deal the cards singly. The remainder of the deck is temporarily put aside. After everyone has played their four cards, another hand of four cards is dealt to each player from the remaining cards, but no more cards are dealt to the table after the first deal. After these cards have been played there is another deal, and this continues until all 52 cards have been dealt (this takes 6 deals for 2 players, 4 deals for three players, 3 deals for 4 players). The dealer must announce 'last' when dealing the last cards. After the last cards have been played and the hand scored, the deal passes to the left for the next round.
The Play
Starting with the player to the left of the dealer and continuing clockwise, each player in turn must play one card out from hand face up on the table. This card may or may not capture one or more cards from the table.
- In case of a capture, when the other players have had an opportunity to see the capturing card, the player picks up this card and the captured cards and stores them all face down in a pile.
- If there is no capture the played card remains face up on the table.
Irrespective of whether a capture was made or not, the turn passes to the next player.
In detail, the possible types of play are as follows:
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Example:The Q and Q are on the table, and the Q is played. The player may capture one of the queens from the table but not both.
- cards which are part of a build (see below) can only be captured by a card of the rank announced for that build;
- when sets are captured, each captured card can only be counted as belonging to one such set.
Example If an eight is played it could capture one, two or three eights from the table. It could also capture a five and a three, or a four and two twos. If the following cards are on the table: A 2 3 5 6 8, then an eight could capture 8 6 2 5 3 or 8 5 2 A, but not all six cards.
- A single build consists of two or more cards whose capture values add up to the capture value of the build - for example a 5-build made of a 2 and a 3, or a 10-build made of A-4-5.
- A multiple build consists of two or more cards or sets of cards, each of which equates to the capture value of the build - for example a 5-build made of a 2 and a 3 plus a 4 and an ace, or a 5-build made of A-4 and 5, or a 9-build made of two nines, or a 9-build made of 6-3 plus 5-4 plus 9.
Examples
- If there is a 5 on the table, a player holding a 3 and an 8 may put the 3 on the 5 and announce 'building 8'; this single build can now only be captured by an 8.
- If there is an ace and a two on the table, a player holding two threes and a six could play one of the threes and either:
- capture the two and the ace;
- combine the played three with the ace and the two and make a single build, announcing 'building 6';
- combine the played three with the ace and the two and make a multiple build, announcing 'building 3';
- You may add a card from your hand to a single build, increasing the capturing number, provided that you also hold a card which will capture the new build. At the same time you may incorporate additional cards from the table into the build, if they are equal to the new capturing number. In this case the build will become multiple. You can never use a card from the table to change the value of a single build.
Example A The table contains a build consisting of two threes, announced as a build of six. If you hold a two and an eight, you can add the two to the build announcing 'building 8'. The next player, holding an ace and a nine, could then add the ace and say 'building 9'.
The capturing number of a multiple build can never be changed. If the original build of two threes in the above example had been announced as building three (rather than building six), it would not be possible for a player holding a two and a five to add the two to the build, making five, not for a player holding a two and an eight to add the two making eight.
Example B The table contains an ace, a two and a four; the ace and the four have been combined by a previous player into a build of five. You hold a three, an eight and a ten. You can play your three onto the single five-build and announce 'building eight', but you are not allowed to incorporate the two from the table into this build to make it a build of ten.
Example C The table contains a three and a four, built into a seven, and a separate nine. You hold a two and a nine. You can play your two, combining it with the seven-build to make nine, and at the same time incorporate the nine on the table into the build, converting it to a multiple build and saying 'building nine'.
- You may add to any build, single or multiple, by playing a card from your hand which, either alone or combined with other cards on the table which are not yet in builds, matches the existing capture number of the build, provided that you hold a card which can capture the combined build.
Example The table contains a 9-build consisting of a 5 and a 4, and there is also a 3 on the table. You hold a six and two nines. You can play your 6, combining it with the 3 and the existing build to make a new multiple build of 9. Then on your next turn (provided that no one else captured) you could add one of the nines from your hand to the build. Finally, on the following turn, you could capture the whole build with your second nine.
Note that when making or adding to a build, you must contribute a card to it from your hand. You cannot just combine various cards which are already on the table to form a build. Note also that once a build contains more than one card or sets of cards which add to the capturing number, it is a multiple build and the capturing number can no longer be changed.
Example. There is a multiple 8-build of 3-5-8 on the table, and there is also a loose 6 on the table. In your hand you have 2, 8, 8, 10. You may add one of your 8s to the build, making 3-5-8-8, or to add your 2 together with the 6 on the table, making 3-5-8-2-6, still with capture value 8. You cannot use your 2 to change the capture value to 10.
When all the cards have been played in the final deal, the last player who made a capture also wins any cards which are left on the table (these cards are sometimes known as the residue). That is why it is important that the dealer should announce 'last' when dealing the last cards.
Hint on tactics: it is often good for the dealer to hold back a face card to play last if possible; this will capture a matching face card on the table and thereby also win any other table cards that remain.
Scoring
Each player (or team) counts their score based on the pile of cards they have won. There are eleven possible points in each hand:
- whoever has the Most Cards gets three points;
- whoever has Most Spades is one point;
- each Ace is worth one point (capturing an ace with another ace is called 'cash' by some players)
- the ten of diamonds, called Big Casino or the Good Ten, is worth two points;
- the two of spades, called Little Casino or the Good Two, is worth one point.
If there is a tie for most cards or most spades, no one gets those points.
Whoever first reaches a total of 21 or more points, over however many rounds it takes, wins the game. If two people reach the target on the same round, whoever has the higher score wins. If there is a tie, another round is played.
Variations
Building Rules
Building is the most intricate part of the game, and there are several variations in exactly what is allowed when creating or capturing builds, and many of the card game books are ambiguous on this point. Some people play by more permissive rules, for example:
- Some players allow a player to trail a card and simultaneously make a build by combining other cards on the table, not including the card played.
- Some players allow a player who has a build on the table simply to trail a card on subsequent turns, leaving the build in place.
- Some players allow cards from the table to be used to help increase the value of a single build, provided that a card from your hand is also used to increase the value. In this variation, in Example B under rule 5 above, it would be legal when playing your 3 on the 5-build to incorporate the 2 from the table as well, making a single build of 10. On the other hand, if there was a 6-build and a 3 on the table and you had two nines in your hand, it would not be legal to combine one of your nines with the six-build and the three to make a multiple build of nines, because when changing the value of a build, the card you play from your hand has to contribute to the change of value.
- Some players treat a single build exactly like a single card of the same value, for the purpose of capturing it or extending the build. For example, if there is a build of 6 (5+A) on the table and a loose 4, a player who holds a 10 can capture the 6-build and the 4, and a player who holds two 10's can combine one 10 from hand with the 6-build and the 4 to make a multiple 10-build.
Sweeps
Many people play that a Sweep is worth one point. A sweep occurs when a player takes all the cards from the table, leaving it empty and forcing the next player to trail. Some players call this a clear. When making a sweep, the capturing card is stored face-up in the pile of won cards, so that the number of sweeps can be checked when scoring. It is possible to make a sweep with the last card of the final deal if it captures all the cards on the table, but if it does not, taking the remaining cards from the table because you made the last capture does not count as a sweep.
Scoring
Other targets for winning the game are possible:
- Some play to 11 points. In a two player game (or a 4-player game with partners), in each round the player with more points scores the difference between the points made by the two players or sides.
- Some play to 50 points.
Some people, instead of scoring three points for cards, award two points to the player with most cards and one point to the player who made the last capture during the game.
Some play that when deciding the overall winner, if more than one player or team reaches the target score in the same round, the points are counted in order: cards, spades, big casino, little casino, aces (in the order spades, clubs, hearts, diamonds), sweeps. If the aces are not sufficient to reach the target score then the player or team with more sweeps wins; if they have the same number of sweeps another hand is played to decide the winner.
Some players, when approaching the target score, count the points as they are earned - each sweep as it happens, aces, big and little casino as they are captured, and spades or cards as soon as one player has captured 7 or 27 of them respectively. In this case the play ends soon as a player correctly claims to have won by reaching the target score (even if the opponent has in fact scored more but failed to claim it). Some score sweeps as they happen, but the remaining points in a specific order, with an agreed order of suits for the aces.
Some books describe Spade Casino, a variant in which instead of counting a point for most spades, each spade counts 1 point and the jack of spades counts an extra point. The ace and two of spades still count an extra point as well, so that the total points available (excluding sweeps) are 24: cards (3) + ten of diamonds (2) + the four aces and the two and jack of spades (6) + the spades (13).
Other Variations
See also the pages on Royal Casino, African Casino, Nordic Casino and Krypkasino.
Software
With Mari J Michaelis's SpiteNET: Cassino computer program you can play against the computer or against a live opponent over the Internet.
You can download a freeware Casino program from Thanos Card Games.
Games4All has published a free Cassino app for the Android platform.
Carl Scafidi has published a free Casino app for iPhone or iPad.