What's the Deal? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Blackjack

The basic aim of Blackjack is to get as close to 21 as possible (without going over). Aces in the player's hand can be counted as either 11 or 1, while picture cards all count as 10. While there are many similarities, Blackjack and Pontoon are not precisely the same game. Blackjack has generally stricter rules (e.g. dictating that the dealer must sit on 16 or above).

Answer: Gin Rummy

Rummy, and its many variants, are based around the collection of combinations of cards called 'melds'. Gin Rummy is very similar to standard rummy in that the main aim is to get all your cards down on the table ("go gin"). However, in Gin Rummy a player can also 'knock' if they are confident that the cards in their hand are strong enough to win, and play immediately ceases.

Answer: solitaire

There are many varieties of Solitaire, including the "Golf" game pictured. These games were thought to originate in the 18th Century, and were often played as part of competitions where players would take turns to try and win the specific game.

Answer: False

Poker's precise origins are the topic of some debate, but general consensus is that it was invented in North America in the early 19th Century. One of the first Poker games was a very simple version, played with 20 cards. A 4 of a kind was the best one could achieve, and there was no drawing of additional cards.

Answer: Canasta

Canasta is also a game that uses Jokers: meaning all 108 cards in the double-deck are used. A Canasta is a meld, featuring seven or more cards. Canasta, while traditionally played with 4 players, has variants of 5 and 6 players. It also uses wild cards, making it an unpredictable and interesting game.

Answer: Bridge

Bridge, often known as "Contract Bridge", features 4 players who operate as pairs (North and South play against East and West). At the start of each hand, the pairs bid against each other to determine which suit will be the 'trump'. Bridge is played with a standard 52-card deck.

Answer: Draw Three

Uno features numeric cards, as well as 'action' cards requiring the players do either draw more cards, be skipped, choose a new colour, or have the play reversed. The primary aim of Uno is to get rid of all one's cards first. In recent years, many themed decks have been released, depicting popular characters from TV and movies (among others).

Answer: Cribbage

Cribbage uses a standard 52 card deck, along with its unique scoring board. The aim of the game is to reach a set target score, which is usually set at either 61 or 121. Cribbage has historically been played by US Submarine crews, and is even described as their 'official' pastime.

Answer: Yes

Indeed: this is called "shooting the moon" and is a huge advantage in a game where the lowest score wins. While these cards should generally be avoided, carrying penalty points for each, collecting all of them is a different story. A successful moon shoot will (under a popular scoring variant) mean that every other player receives 26 points and the moon-shooter scores 0.

Answer: Spades

The game of Euchre generally uses a reduced deck, most commonly 24 cards. Once a trump is established, the two jacks become the top cards, known as bowers. In the picture, the Jack of Spades is the top card (the Right Bower), followed by the Jack of Clubs (the Left Bower), then the Ace, King and Queen.