Sheepshead, THE Game

Settings and How To Play

SETTINGS

The Partner Method

Determines how the partner is calculated.

Jack of Diamonds – Call Up Before Picking. This method allows the picker to call up to the next jack not in the pickers hand if the picker has the Jack of Diamonds. The picker has to declare the jack before picking the blind. The picker can call a jack that is in his hand and there by go alone. If the picker has all 4 jacks, the picker will go alone.

Jack of Diamonds – Can’t Call Up. The partner is always the Jack of Diamonds. If the picker is dealt the Jack of Diamonds, he can’t call up and will go alone.

Jack of Diamonds – Call after picking. The partner will be calculated by the program based on the jacks in the pickers hand after picking the blind.

Called Ace.

Game Control:

Use Play Button. Check this box to control the start of each trick using the Play button. Uncheck this box and the time between tricks will be determined by the value in Time Between Tricks.

Time Between Tricks.  If the Use Play Button checkbox is not checked, the time between each trick will be controlled by this value.

Card Played Speed. Determines how fast individual cards are played.

Play 6th Trick. Check this box to have the game play your card on the sixth trick.

Auto Play Card. Check this box to have the game play your card when you only have 1 card of the suit led.

Player Names:

Change each players name to a name you prefer. Only the first 12 characters of the name will be used.

Sound Options:

Sound Options only work on Android devices.

Sound Clips. Select an option drop down list box to allow the game to speak the contents of the message board.

Voice Speed. Select a value from drop down list box to control the speed of the computer voice.

Blitz / Crack:

Blitz Black Queens. Check this box to allow the black queens to be blitzed.

Blitz Red Queens. Check this box to allow the red queens to be blitzed.

Blitz Black Jacks. Check this box to allow the black jacks to be blitzed.

Blitz Red Jacks. Check this box to allow the red jacks to be blitzed.

Allow Crack. Check this box to allow any opponent to crack the picker.

Allow Crack Back. Check this box to allow the picker or partner to crack back if the picker was cracked.

Called Ace Options:

These options are only valid if you are playing the Called Ace Partner Method

Play Called Ace Suit. Check this box so the picker can play the called ace suit (if the picker has more than 1 card of the called ace suit) on a lead of a non called ace suit before the called ace has been led

Show In The Hole Card. There are 3 options to display the In The Hole Card when it is played.

Never - Always display the back of the card

Always – Always display the card face

Trick Taker – Display the card face only if you are the winner of the trick

Other Options:

Mode of Play. There are three modes of play.

Professional is the most challenging version of the game.

Amateur is a somewhat easier version of the game to win but is still challenging.

Beginner is for gamers learning to play the game.  When this box is checked, the game will display how many trump are left, how many points were won on the last trick, the point for the picking team and the points for the opposition team.  The game will display what it infers each player to be based on the cards it plays.  An (O) indicates an opponent and a (P) indicates partner.  Once the partner is shown, the game stops the inference.  The inferences are not always correct.  The game will also offer suggestions to the player on what his/her play should be.

Go Alone After Picking - Check this box to allow the picker to go alone after picking the blind and discarding.

No Picker Options.

Re-Deal

Doubler

Leaster

Hands Per Game. Enter the hands played per game. If the amount is equal to zero, the game will not keep track of game points won.

Power Trump. If the picker has the top two or three trump and the Power Trump checkbox is checked, the game will lead trump from highest trump to lowest trump. Otherwise, it leads the high trump in random order. If the opponent has the highest trump and the Power Trump checkbox is checked, the game will play the highest trump when trump is led. Otherwise, the game uses certain algorithms to determine which trump to play.

Show Partner. There are options to show who the partner is after the partner card is played..

Never - The game will never show the partner until after the hand is completed.

Always - The game will display the word 'Partner' next to the player when the player plays the called partner card.

Ask - The game will display a button that allows you to "ask" the other players who the partner is.

Clubs Trump. Check this box to if you wish to play the Ace of Clubs through the Seven of Clubs as trump instead of the Ace of Diamonds through the Seven of Diamonds.

Display Blind.  Check this box to display the blind if all players pass.

Peek at Discard.  Check this box to to allow you the option to show your discard before you play a card.

Scoring Method.  

Standard

All Tricks3 points

91 to 120 pts2 points

61 to 90 pts1 point

31 to 60 pts-1 point

30 to 0 pts-2 points

No Tricks-3 points

Double on the Bump

All Tricks3 points

91 to 120 pts2 points

61 to 90 pts1 point

60 to 31 pts-2 point

0 to 30 pts-4 points

No Tricks-6 points

Partner Leads High Trump.  Check     this box if you want the partner to  always lead it's highest trump



How to Play 

The Hand Number is the current hand being played. The Doublers is the number of doublers currently in the game (if this option is selected). The white box is the message center. The message center displays the events of the current hand. The last event listed is the most recent event. The Points listed by each player name are the current points for the player. The player name displayed in yellow is the current dealer.

Tap the Deal button to deal the cards. The six cards displayed face up are your cards. The message center displays what has happened so far in the current hand. Tap the Pick button to become the picker or the Pass button to pass.

If you pick, the two blind card will be displayed. Tap the cards you want to discard. The cards will be moved to the discard area. If you change your mind, tap the card in the discard area and the card will be moved back to its original location.

Tap the Play button to play the hand with a partner. Tap the Alone button to play the hand with no partner (if this option is selected). The game will determine your partner based on the cards you have or a screen will open to allow you to choose a partner.

The picker is identified by the word ‘Picker’displayed in majenta under the player’s name. The partner is identified by the abbreviation of ‘JD’, ‘JH’, ‘JS’, ‘JC’, ‘AH’, ‘AS’ or ‘AC’ displayed next to the word ‘Picker’. The partner is also displayed in the message center. If the picker is going alone, ‘Alone’ will be displayed. Tap on one of your cards to lead or play the card.

After the trick is completed, the winner of the trick will be displayed in the message center. Tap the Play button to play the next trick. After all 6 tricks have been played, the game will calculated the winning team. The results of hand will be displayed in the message center. Tap the Deal button to deal the next hand.

If you have the blitzing and or cracking options selected, a screen will open up to allow you to blitz and or crack.

Tap the Replay button to replay the previous hand.

Tap the Result button to show the results of the previous hand.

Tap the menu button and then the Statistics button to show the Statistics screen. The statistics screen is divided into 2 sections. The Game Statistics section shows the statistics for the current game. The Player Statistics section displays the statistics for all the previous games played. To zero out the player statistics, tap the Clear button.

If you are in the middle of a game and want to start over, tap the Menu button and then the New Game menu button.