Editing Bezique (section)

==Step-by-step guide to the game (two-player version)==

Bezique is not generally perceived to be a difficult game, though remembering the possible meld combinations and scoring can be confusing for the complete novice. There are also a number of small rules, such as the high ranking of cards with a face value of ten, the ability to swap sevens with the trump card and so on, that beginners should keep in mind.

Once the general pattern of playing a trick, declaring a meld (if any) and then drawing a new card from the talon is established in the mind, the player should then focus on tactics.

===Preparing to play===
Required are two packs of cards and a sheet of paper and pen to collate scores. Special bezique markers were made at the height of the game's popularity but mostly these are rare now.<ref>Nikki Katz [https://books.google.com/books?id=qzYu6eaHX2MC&dq=Bezique+markers&pg=PT55 The ''Everything Card Games Book: A Complete Guide to Over 50 Games to Please any crowd (Everything: Sports and Hobbies)''] pg. 42 Adams Media (2004) {{ISBN|1-59337-130-6}}</ref>

* Take the packs of cards and remove all cards with a value below seven, along with the jokers or wildcards. Remaining should be the cards with the numerical values of seven through to ten, the face cards and the aces.
* Shuffle the two packs together.
* A cut is made. The player with the highest valued card is given the privilege of dealing.
* In both the cut and the game player, the value of the cards from highest to lowest is as follows:
**{{cards|A}}, {{cards|10}}, {{cards|K}}, {{cards|Q}}, {{cards|J}}, {{cards|9}}, {{cards|8}}, {{cards|7}}

===The deal===
The dealing sequence is as follows:

Deal three cards to the opponent, three cards to the self, two cards to the opponent, two cards to the self, three cards to the opponent once more and finally, three more cards to the self.  (In other words, it is in a pattern of 3, 2, 3.)

The remaining cards are placed in a stack or talon in the middle of the table.  The top card from the talon is turned over and placed face up alongside the talon.  This card designates what the trump suit will be.  If the dealer turns over the seven as the trump card, ten points are awarded.  This card is available to be swapped by any player who wins a trick and holds the 7 of trumps (which replaces it as the face up card).  The face up card (whether it is the original or a 7 of trumps) is the last to be taken (by the loser of the trick just played) at the end of the first phase of play.

In a variation of the game, if a player finds no face card in his hand ({{cards|A}}, {{cards|10}}, {{cards|K}}, {{cards|Q}} or {{cards|J}}), a "carte blanche" may be declared which receives 50 points from the opponent.  All cards must be shown to the opponent to claim these points.  This is not a standard rule of two-player bezique but is allowed in some regions.

===The play (phase one)===
The non-dealer may lead any card.  This card is placed face upwards on the table. The dealer must respond by playing a card.  If it is a card of the same suit but has a higher value or any card of the trump suit and the leading card is not of the trump suit, it wins the trick. If it is a lower or equal card of the same suit or a card of any other suit bar the trump suit, it loses.

Whoever wins the trick takes the cards and places them in a separate pile.  These cards play no further part in the round.  They are only used for scoring brisques

Note that there is no obligation to follow suit or to trump in this part of the game.

The only time a player would have a strong motivation to win the trick is when there are aces or tens being played or the player has a meld they wish to declare.

The winner of the trick has an opportunity to present a meld by declaring his combination and placing them face upwards on the table.  They are still part of his hand but must remain on the table in view of the opponent until played in later tricks.

Only one meld can be declared per trick won.  Scores for these are written immediately.  The list of melds and their scores are listed in the table above.

Note that a card used in one meld cannot be played in the same meld later on.  For example, {{cards|Kc}} married to {{cards|Qc}} cannot later be married to the second {{cards|Qc}}.  However, it can be used for a sequence of four kings as this is a different meld.  Were both the other king and queen of clubs to be presented, the first king and queen could be part of the marriage.

A special meld declaration involves the seven of trumps.  It is not placed on the table with the others.  Instead, it can be swapped for the upturned trump card.  The second seven of trumps can also be declared in this way.

The winner of the trick draws from the talon once they have declared their meld.  The loser then also draws a card from the talon, thus maintaining eight cards in their hand at all times at this stage of the game.  If no melds are declared by the winner of the trick, the cards are drawn immediately.

Whoever wins the trick then leads first in playing the next trick.

===The play (phase two)===
Once the talon is exhausted, the game play changes somewhat in nature.

The winner of the final trick draws the last card from the talon, whilst the loser takes the upturned trump card.  The final eight tricks are played in this way:

* From now on, the player must follow suit and play a higher card than the leader if they can.  If they cannot follow suit, they must trump to win the trick.  If they cannot follow suit or trump, they can only then play any other card.
* Melds cannot be declared in this part of the game.
* The winner of the final trick is granted ten bonus points.

===Counting the brisques===
After the last trick is played, each player gathers the cards they have won and counts the number of aces and tens.  Each of these is worth ten points.  This number is added to the total score already earned from the various melds the player has declared.

Traditionally, the first player to reach 1,000 points wins, which normally involves an average of three to four rounds being played.  However, a different target figure may be agreed upon before play begins, such as the first person to reach 2,000 points.

===Penalties===
*A player holding more than eight cards awards 100 points to their opponent.

*A player not drawing a card after a trick in phase one awards 10 points to their opponent.

*A player not winning a trick or following suit where it was possible in phase two concedes all remaining brisques to their opponent.