Game Objective

Ahoy, mateys! Prepare for the most thrilling card battle on the seven seas! In Skull King, you won't just try to win tricks, but rather prove you're the smartest pirates in the tavern by accurately predicting how many tricks you'll manage to snatch in each hand. The objective is simple, yet challenging: fulfill your trick bid. Those who fail lose glory and fame (and points!).

The contest lasts 10 hands, and with each hand, the excitement grows as the number of cards in your hand also increases! At the end of 10 hands, the pirate with the highest score will be crowned the true Skull King!

Setup

Let's tidy up this table, you sea wolves! Setting up Skull King is quick and gets you straight into the action:

1. Grab the 66 Cards from the game:
   • 52 Colored Cards (4 different suits, from 1 to 13)
   • 5 "Escape" Cards
   • 5 Pirate Cards
   • 2 "Mermaid" Cards
   • 1 "Scary Mary" Card
   • 1 "Skull King" Card
2. Shuffle all the cards very well.
3. For the first hand, the dealer deals 1 card to each player, face down, without anyone being able to see them.
4. In subsequent hands, the number of cards dealt increases by one. That is, in the second hand, each player receives 2 cards; in the third, 3 cards, and so on, until the tenth and last hand, where each player will receive 10 cards.
5. Have a notepad and a pen handy to record each player's bids and scores. A player without a hook hand is perfect for this task!

Gameplay Turn

In each hand, the gameplay follows an exciting rhythm. Let's see how it works:

Bidding Phase

1. After the cards are dealt, each player looks at their cards. This is the time to remove the eye patches and think strategically!
2. Think about how many tricks you believe you will win with the cards in your hand. Remember: you cannot bid more tricks than the number of cards you hold!
3. To signal your decision, each player extends a closed fist towards the center of the table.
4. When all players have their fists in the center, shout the pirate battle cry together: "YO - HO - HO!".
5. On the second "HO", all players open their fists at the same time and extend as many fingers as tricks they wish to win this round. If you think you will win more than five tricks, extend five fingers and say the number aloud.
6. Each player's bids are recorded in the narrow column of the notepad.

Playing Phase (The Tricks!)

1. The player to the left of the dealer starts the round by playing the first card. This card sets the "suit to be followed".
2. Clockwise, the other players must follow suit, meaning play a card of the same suit.
   • If a player cannot follow suit, they can play a card of a different suit (and will usually lose the trick) or a skull and crossbones card (the black suit, which is the highest and can win the trick).
   • Special cards (Escape, Pirate, Mermaid, Scary Mary, Skull King) can be played at any time, even if you can follow suit!
3. Which card wins the trick?
   • It's always the highest card of the suit that was played first.
   • The exception is the skull and crossbones suit (black), which is the highest suit and beats all others, regardless of numerical value.
   • Special Cards and their Hierarchy:
     • The Escape (value 0) is always the lowest card. If everyone plays Escape, the first Escape played wins.
     • Mermaids are higher than all suit cards (including skull and crossbones), but are beaten by Pirate cards.
     • Pirates are higher than all suit cards and Mermaids. A Pirate only doesn't win if: it's played after another Pirate (the first Pirate played wins), it's beaten by a Skull King, or it's beaten by a Mermaid in the same trick as the Skull King.
     • The Skull King beats all cards except the Mermaid. If a Mermaid and the Skull King are in the same trick, the Mermaid always wins!
     • Scary Mary can be played as a Pirate or an Escape. The player declares its function when playing it.
   • Important Notes on Special Cards:
     • If the first card played is a special card, the next suit card played determines the suit to be followed.
     • If the first card is skull and crossbones (black), a player without black cards can play any other suit (does not need to play a Pirate).
     • If two Pirate cards or two Mermaids are played in the same trick, the first one played wins.
4. When all players have played a card, the player who played the highest card wins the trick.
5. The player who won the trick places it face down in front of them, separate from the other tricks, so everyone can see how many tricks they already have.
6. The player who won the trick plays the first card of the next round.
7. The hand continues with tricks until all cards have been played.

End of Game and Scoring

End of Hand

When all cards have been played (i.e., the number of tricks equals the number of cards dealt), the hand ends and scores are recorded in the notepad.

After scoring, all cards are shuffled again and dealt for the next hand, with the number of cards increasing by one.

Scoring

• Hitting the Bid:
  • If a player correctly bids the number of tricks they offered, they receive 20 points per trick they won.
  • Example: If David bids 3 tricks and wins exactly 3, he receives 60 points (3 x 20).
• Missing the Bid:
  • If a player wins more or fewer tricks than they bid, they receive no points for the tricks won. Instead, they receive 10 negative points for each trick over or under their bid.
  • Example: If Simon bids 5 tricks, but only wins 1, the difference is 4 tricks. He receives -40 points (4 x -10).
• "No Tricks" Bid:
  • If a player bids "no tricks" and manages not to win any tricks, they receive 10 points multiplied by the current round number.
  • Example: In the 4th round, Eloise bids 0 tricks and succeeds. She receives 40 points (4 x 10).
  • If a player bids "no tricks" and fails (wins 1 or more tricks), they receive the same number of points, but as negative points. The number of tricks won doesn't matter, only that they failed the zero bid.
  • Example: In the 9th round, David bids 0 tricks, but wins 2. He receives -90 points (9 x -10).
• Bonus Points (only if the bid is fulfilled!):
  • Trumps with Gold Coins: If you win tricks that contain cards with gold coins in the symbols, you receive a bonus of 50 points.
  • Skull King and Pirates: If you win a trick with the Skull King and this trick contains one or more Pirate Cards (including Scary Mary, even if used as an Escape), you receive a bonus of 30 points for each Pirate in the trick.
  • Mermaid and Skull King: If you capture the Skull King with your Mermaid in a trick, you receive a bonus of 50 points.

End of Game

The game ends after the 10th hand. The player with the highest score is declared the winner, proving to be the most cunning and skilled pirate of all!

Tips for Winning

Want to be the true Skull King? Pay attention to these tips:

1. Assess Your Cards Wisely: Before making your bid, look closely at your cards. Consider not only high values, but also the suits you have in abundance and special cards. Having a Pirate or the Skull King can mean a guaranteed trick, but an Escape can be essential to fulfill a "no tricks" bid.
2. Pay Attention to Suits and Special Cards: Remember that the black suit (skull and crossbones) is always the highest. And special cards can turn the game around! A Mermaid can capture the Skull King, and Pirates can dominate the table. Use them strategically, especially when you don't have the suit to be followed, to secure or avoid a trick.
3. The Risk of "No Tricks": Bidding "no tricks" is a high stake, but it can yield many points (or many negative points!). If you have a weak hand, with many Escapes or low-value cards in varied suits, it can be a good strategy. But be prepared for the risk and try to get rid of cards that might force you to win an unwanted trick.