Precision Software Appli…tions Silver Collection 1/Precision Software Applications Silver Collection Volume One (PSM) (1993).iso/children/tompinoc.arj/PINOCHLE.DOC

Text File | 1992-06-22 | 17KB | 359 lines

TOMMY'S PINOCHLE (C) COPYRIGHT 1988 BY TOMMY'S TOYS
P. O. BOX 11261, DENVER, CO 80211 USA.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
CATALOG #88-116-1A

INSTRUCTIONS:

PINOCHLE IS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING OF CARD GAMES BECAUSE IT REQUIRES A
GOOD CARD MEMORY PLUS RIGID MATHEMATICAL INSIGHT IN KNOWING WHEN AND WHAT TO
PLAY OR MELD.  THIS IS A CLASSIC GAME FOR THE BESPECTACLED TEACHER TYPE,
ESPECIALLY THE STERN DISCIPLINARIAN VARIETY, MAYBE THAT IS WHY THEY CALL IT
PINOCHLE, FROM P(ROF.) KNUCKLE (HA HA -- WE ARE JUST ENGAGING IN FOLK
ETYMOLOGY).

THERE ARE MANY VARIATIONS OF PINOCHLE, 2, 3, AND 4 HAND, BETTING AND NON
BETTING, AUCTION, PARTNERSHIP, WIDOW, RADIO, ETC., BUT THIS PROGRAM PLAYS
2-HANDED PINOCHLE, YOU AGAINST THE COMPUTER, WITH TWO 24-CARD PINOCHLE DECKS
SHUFFLED TOGETHER (MORE SERIOUS PLAY USES TWO 32-CARD DECKS BUT THIS PROGRAM
IS ALREADY SERIOUS ENOUGH).  MANY EXPERTS SAY 2-HAND IS THE MOST CHALLENGING
BECAUSE THE MOST TRICKS ARE PLAYED IN EACH HAND.

ANSWERING YES/NO QUESTIONS: WHEN PROMPTED FOR A YES/NO ANSWER, YOU CAN TYPE
"Y" OR "N" FROM THE KEYBOARD, OR USE THE LEFT/RIGHT ARROW KEYS ON THE NUMERIC
KEY PAD TO SELECT Y OR N, THEN HIT THE UP/DOWN ARROW KEYS OR <ENTER>.

THE DISPLAY:
YOUR CARDS ARE SHOWN AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN, THE COMPUTER'S UNDERNEATH.  IF
YOU SELECT OPEN HANDS OPTION, YOU CAN SEE THE COMPUTER'S HAND AS WELL AS YOUR
OWN, BUT IT CAN'T SEE YOURS (THIS IS FOR SELF-TEACHING PURPOSES).

THE DECK:
TWO STANDARD 24-CARD PINOCHLE DECKS (DEUCES THROUGH EIGHTS STRIPPED) ARE
SHUFFLED TOGETHER (THE 32-CARD DECK KEEPS THE SEVENS AND EIGHTS).  ALWAYS
REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE ONLY 6 CARD TYPES (9,10,J,Q,K,A) IN PLAY, AND THAT
THERE IS A DUPLICATE OF EACH OF THE 24 UNIQUE CARDS IN THE DECK.

RANKS:
THE CARDS RANK IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER (HIGH TO LOW):
   A, 10, K, Q, J, 9

REMEMBER THAT A 10-SPOT BEATS ANYTHING ELSE BUT AN ACE IN PINOCHLE; YOU MIGHT
THINK OF IT AS AN ACELET.

OBJECT OF THE GAME:
TO BE THE FIRST TO SCORE 1,000 POINTS BY THE END OF A HAND.  SCORES ARE MADE
BY MELDING AND BY TAKING TRICKS.  YOU CAN HAVE DUPLICATES OF THE SAME MELD
TYPE, SCORING SEPARATELY FOR EACH ONE.  MELDS ARE TAKEN FROM THE HAND AND
LAID FACE UP ON THE TABLE, BUT ARE STILL PART OF ONE'S PLAYABLE CARDS.

GAME POINT:
WHILE 1000 IS THE STANDARD GAME POINT, YOU CAN SET THE GAME POINT TO ANY VALUE
BETWEEN 500 AND 30,000 IF YOU WANT; OR YOU CAN PLAY A SINGLE HAND GAME, HIGH
SCORE THE WINNER.

STANDARD MELDS:
THESE ARE THE STANDARD MELDS, WHICH MUST BE MEMORIZED.  THEY ARE CATEGORIZED
IN CLASSES, AS FOLLOWS:

SPECIAL:
   PINOCHLE: Q OF SPADES AND J OF DIAMONDS.  SCORING VALUE: 40 POINTS.
   DEECE OR DIX: NINE OF TRUMP.  SCORING VALUE: 10 POINTS.

SEQUENCE:
   FLUSH:  A, 10, K, Q, J OF TRUMP.  SCORING VALUE: 150 POINTS.
   MARRIAGE: K AND Q OF SAME SUIT.  SCORING VALUE: 40 POINTS FOR TRUMP SUIT
   (ROYAL MARRIAGE), 20 POINTS FOR NON-TRUMP SUIT (COMMON MARRIAGE).

GROUP:
   4 FACE CARDS OF SAME DENOMINATION AND DIFFERENT SUITS.  KNOWN AS 40 JACKS
   (40 POINTS), 60 QUEENS (60 POINTS), 80 KINGS (80 POINTS), 100 ACES (100
   POINTS).

NOTE THAT THE ONLY NON-ROYALTY CARDS (9, 10) THAT SCORE ARE TRUMPS, HENCE
THERE ARE 2*2*3 = 12 'DEAD CARDS' IN PLAY.

OTHER INTERESTING MELDS NOT USED IN THIS PROGRAM, BUT GOOD FOR COCKTAIL PARTY
CHIT-CHAT:
    GRAND PINOCHLE: ADD KING OF SPADES TO REGULAR PINOCHLE.
    ROUNDHOUSE: MARRIAGE IN ALL 4 SUITS AT THE SAME TIME.
    DOUBLE MELDS: DOUBLE PINOCHLE, DOUBLE MARRIAGE, ETC.

SUMMARY OF STANDARD MELDS:

    POINTS  MELD               CLASS
    ------  ----               -----
    150     FLUSH              SEQUENCE
    100     100 ACES           GROUP
     80     80 KINGS           GROUP
     60     60 QUEENS          GROUP
     40     40 JACKS           GROUP
     40     PINOCHLE           SPECIAL
     40     ROYAL MARRIAGE     SEQUENCE
     20     COMMON MARRIAGE    SEQUENCE
     10     DEECE              SPECIAL

MELDING RULES:

   1. AT LEAST ONE CARD FROM THE HAND MUST BE USED TO MAKE EACH MELD, WITH
      ADITIONAL CARDS COMBINED OPTIONALLY FROM WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN MELDED.

   2. THE SAME CARD MAY NOT BE USED TWICE IN THE SAME MELD; NOR IN ANY TWO
      MELDS OF THE SAME CLASS, UNLESS THE SECOND IS HIGHER SCORING THAN THE
      FIRST.  (THE CLASSIC EXAMPLE IS K-Q OF TRUMPS, WHICH MAY BE MELDED
      FOR 40 POINTS, THEN A-10-J ADDED LATER FOR ANOTHER 150 POINTS; BUT IF
      THE FLUSH IS MELDED FIRST, THE MARRIAGE POINTS AREN'T GIVEN BECAUSE THE
      SECOND MELD IS LOWER SCORING THAN THE FIRST.)

TO MAKE A MELD:
JUST ENTER THE NUMBERS (1..9,A,B,C) OF ALL THE CARDS YOU WANT TO MELD, THEN
HIT THE <ENTER> KEY TO PROCEED.  OR, USE THE LEFT/RIGHT ARROW KEYS TO SELECT
A CARD, THEN THE UP/DOWN ARROW KEYS TO REGISTER IT; WHEN ALL CARDS DESIRED ARE
REGISTERED, HIT THE <ENTER> KEY TO PROCEED.  YOU CAN UN-REGISTER A CARD BY
REGISTERING IT TWICE.

ON THE GAME SCREEN CARD DISPLAY, MELDED CARD CLASSES ARE INDICATED BY
SUBSCRIPTS, P FOR SPECIAL, G FOR GROUP, S FOR SEQUENCE.

CARD VALUES:
IN ADDITION TO MELDS, POINTS MAY BE SCORED FOR CARDS WON IN TRICKS.  THERE ARE
3 DIFFERENT SYSTEMS FOR SCORING CARDS WON IN TRICKS IN PINOCHLE, AND BEFORE
THE START OF GAME YOU MUST SELECT WHICH YOU WANT:

   1. OLD TIMER'S COUNT.
   2. SIMPLIFIED COUNT.
   3. STREAMLINED COUNT.

   CARD     OLD TIMER'S COUNT   SIMPLIFIED COUNT   STREAMLINED COUNT
   ====     =================   ================   =================
    A              11                 10                   10
    10             10                 10                   10
    K               4                  5                   10
    Q               3                  5                    0
    J               2                  0                    0
    9               0                  0                    0

NOTE THAT IN A HAND OF PINOCHLE THE TOTAL VALUE OF ALL CARDS WON IN TRICKS
IS ALWAYS 240 (30 FOR A...9 X 4 PER SUIT X 2 ROUNDS PER HAND), PLUS 10 FOR THE
LAST TRICK, FOR A TOTAL OF 250 TRICK POINTS PER HAND REGARDLESS OF THE SCORING
SYSTEM USED.

DEALER:
FIRST DEALER IS CHOSEN RANDOMLY BY THE COMPUTER.  AFTER THAT THE DEAL
ALTERNATES.

THE DEAL:
THE CARDS ARE DEALT 4 AT A TIME, STARTING WITH NON-DEALER, UNTIL EACH PLAYER
HAS 12 CARDS.  THE NEXT CARD IS THEN PLACED FACE UP ON THE TABLE.  THE REST OF
THE DECK GOES FACE DOWN, PARTIALLY OVERLAPPING THE UPTURNED CARD (UPCARD);
IN ADDITION, SOME, INCLUDING US, PLAY THAT THE DECK IS FANNED OUT TO
FACILITATE DRAWING ANYWHERE FROM IT, AND IN TOMMY'S PINOCHLE, A CARD IS
RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM THE DECK BY THE COMPUTER ON EACH DRAW.

TRUMP:
THE TRUMP SUIT IS THE SUIT OF THE UPCARD (25TH CARD DEALT).  IF THE UPCARD IS
A 9 THE DEALER GETS 10 POINTS AT ONCE FOR DEECE.

PLAY:
EACH HAND IS PLAYED IN 2 ROUNDS OF 12 TRICKS EACH.  IN THE FIRST ROUND THE
PLAYERS KEEP THEIR HAND SIZE UP AT 12 CARDS BY REPLENISHING FROM THE DECK;
IN THE SECOND ROUND THE PLAYERS PLAY THEIR LAST 12 CARDS OUT TO A FINISH.

FIRST ROUND:
   1. NON-DEALER PLAYS FIRST.  HE LEADS OFF THE TRICK BY TAKING ANY CARD FROM
      HIS HAND AND PLAYING IT FACE UP ON THE TABLE.

NOTE: TO PICK A CARD TO PLAY, JUST SPECIFY ITS NUMBER (1,2...,9,A,B) IN THE
HAND.  OR, SELECT THE CARD YOU WANT WITH THE LEFT/RIGHT ARROW KEYS ON THE
NUMERIC KEY PAD, THEN HIT <ENTER>, SPACEBAR, OR UP/DOWN ARROW KEYS TO PLAY IT.

   2. DEALER NOW PLAYS.  HE PLAYS ANY CARD FROM HIS HAND ON HIS OPPONENT'S
      FACE UP LEAD CARD.  (IN THE FIRST ROUND A PLAYER IS NOT OBLIGED TO
      FOLLOW SUIT OR PLAY TRUMP IF HE DOESN'T WANT TO.)

   3. WINNER OF THE TRICK SCORES THE CARDS WON.  THE TRICK IS WON BY THE
      HIGHEST CARD OF THE LEAD SUIT IF NO TRUMP CARD IS PLAYED, ELSE BY THE
      FIRST (NOT NECESSARILY THE HIGHEST) TRUMP CARD PLAYED.  TIES ARE BROKEN
      IN FAVOR OF THE LEADER.

   4. WINNER OF THE FIRST TRICK MAY THEN MELD IF DESIRED, BUT ONLY ONE MELD
      MAY BE MADE.

   5. IF THE WINNER OF THE TRICK HAS A DEECE IN HIS HAND HE MAY EXCHANGE IT
      FOR THE UPCARD, SCORING 10 POINTS; THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE OPTIONAL
      MELD.  (OR A PLAYER CAN MELD A DEECE WITHOUT EXCHANGING IT FOR THE
      UPCARD, SCORING 10 POINTS BUT LOSING THE CHANCE TO MAKE ANOTHER MELD).

   6. AFTER THE OPTIONAL EXCHANGE AND MELD, THE FIRST-TRICK WINNER NOW SELECTS
      ANY CARD FROM THE STOCK, AND HIS OPPONENT ALSO DOES SO.  (IN TOMMY'S
      PINOCHLE THE DRAWING IS AUTOMATICALLY DONE BY THE COMPUTER).

   7. IN SUBSEQUENT TRICKS MELDED CARDS MAY BE PLAYED IN TRICKS JUST AS IF
      THEY WERE IN HAND (THERE ARE ALWAYS 12 CARDS IN EACH PLAYER'S HAND,
      COUNTING THE MELDS ON THE TABLE).

   8. WINNER OF THE FIRST TRICK LEADS OFF THE SECOND TRICK, THEN PLAY
      CONTINUES AS ABOVE UNTIL THE DECK IS EXHAUSTED: OPPONENT PLAYS A CARD,
      WINNER TAKES TRICK, OPTIONALLY MELDS AND/OR EXCHANGES A DEECE FOR THE
      UPCARD, THEN DRAWS FROM DECK, THEN OPPONENT DRAWS FROM DECK, ETC.

   9. WINNER OF THE LAST TRICK TAKES THE LAST CARD FROM THE DECK AND SHOWS
      IT FACE UP, KEEPING IT FOR THE SECOND ROUND; THE LOSER OF THE TRICK
      TAKES THE UPCARD, WHICH WILL USUALLY BE THE DEECE: NEITHER SCORES
      FOR THE LAST CARD TAKEN.  EACH PLAYER NOW HAS 12 CARDS LEFT IN HAND
      OR IN MELDS ON THE TABLE.

SECOND ROUND:
EACH PLAYER NOW GATHERS HIS 12 REMAINING CARDS AND CONTINUES PLAY AS FOLLOWS,
WITH NO MORE MELDING ALLOWED:

   1. WINNER OF LAST TRICK LEADS FIRST TRICK.
   2. OPPONENT NOW MUST PLAY A CARD OF LEAD SUIT IF HE HAS IT, ELSE HE MUST
      PLAY A TRUMP IF HE HAS ONE; IF THE LEAD CARD WAS A TRUMP, HE INDEED
      MUST PLAY A HIGHER-RANKING TRUMP IF HE HAS IT: ONLY WHEN HE HAS NO
      TRUMP CARD AT ALL CAN HE PLAY A CARD OF ANOTHER SUIT.
      THE WINNER OF THE TRICK IS THE HIGHEST LEAD SUIT IF NO TRUMP PLAYED,
      ELSE THE HIGHEST (NOT NECESSARILY THE FIRST) TRUMP PLAYED; TIES ARE
      BROKEN IN FAVOR OF THE PLAYER WHO LEADS.
   3. PLAY CONTINUES UNTIL ALL THE CARDS ARE PLAYED.  WINNER OF THE LAST
      TRICK GETS A 10 POINT BONUS.

GAME:
PLAY CONTINUES UNTIL SOME PLAYER REACHES THE GAME POINT AT THE END OF A HAND.
IF BOTH EXCEED THE GAME POINT ON THE SAME HAND, HIGHER WINS.  IF BOTH TIE AT
SOME SCORE PAST THE GAME POINT, ADDITIONAL HANDS ARE PLAYED UNTIL THE TIE IS
BROKEN.  (SOME PLAY THAT THE GAME POINT IS RESET 250 POINTS HIGHER, BUT THAT
COMES FROM THE STONE AGES WHEN THEY DID ALL THE POINT COUNTING WITH PENCIL
AND PAPER AND ROUNDED ALL THE SCORES OFF TO THE NEAREST TEN TO SIMPLIFY
ARITHMETIC WITHOUT A COMPUTER.)

----------------------
FUNCTION KEY COMMANDS:
SOUND EFFECTS TOGGLE: FUNCTION KEY F1 TOGGLES THE SOUND EFFECTS ON AND OFF.

DEMO MODE TOGGLE: FUNCTION KEY F2 TOGGLES THE DEMO MODE.  IN DEMO MODE, THE
COMPUTER PLAYS BOTH HANDS WHILE YOU WATCH.

TO QUIT: HIT FUNCTION KEY F7.

TO DISPLAY THESE INSTRUCTIONS: HIT FUNCTION KEY F5.

TO POP-UP A MELD TABLE DISPLAY: HIT FUNCTION KEY F3 (HIT A SECOND TIME TO
REMOVE).  NOTE: A NEAT TRICK.  POP UP THE MELD TABLE, THEN HIT F7 (QUIT), TYPE
"N", THEN HIT F3 AGAIN, THEN <ENTER>: NOW THE MELD TABLE STAYS UP ALL THE TIME
(IT MAY THEN NOT BE ERASED UNTIL THE CURRENT GAME ENDS) AND THE F3 KEY WILL
HAVE NO FURTHER EFFECT.  (AFTER HITTING "N", YOU SHOULD HIT <ENTER> TO POP THE
MELD TABLE DOWN IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE).

TO CHANGE THE SCREEN BORDER COLOR (COLOR MONITORS ONLY): HIT FUNCTION KEY F10.
IN MONO MODE, PRESSING F10 TOGGLES BETWEEN REGULAR AND HILITED TEXT FOR THE
MESSAGE LINE.

TO CHANGE THE SPEED WITH WHICH THE COMPUTER PLAYS: USE FUNCTION KEYS F8 AND F9.
THE DELAY AFTER THE COMPUTER MELDS, IN SECONDS, IS SHOWN AT THE LOWER RIGHT
HAND CORNER OF THE SCREEN.

TO SKIP THE STARTUP MUSIC: HIT THE <ENTER> KEY TWICE INSTEAD OF ONCE WHEN
RUNNING THE PROGRAM FROM DOS.

MATCH SCORE FILE:
THE NUMBER OF GAMES WON BY EACH SIDE IS AUTOMATICALLY SAVED ON FILE
PINOCHLE.SCR AND RESTORED WHEN RUNNING THE PROGRAM AGAIN.  TO CLEAR THE
MATCH SCORES JUST ERASE THE FILE.

-------------------
A NOTE ON STRATEGY:
THE ONE WHO CAN BEST REMEMBER THE CARDS THAT HAVE BEEN PLAYED THROUGHOUT THE
GAME HAS AN ADVANTAGE.  THEREFORE AT LEAST TRY TO KEEP TRACK OF WHICH TRUMPS
HAVE BEEN PLAYED, AND A FEEL FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MELD-MAKING CARDS.

THE PLAY OF THE FIRST ROUND IS CONCENTRATED ON MELDING WHILE LEAVING A STRONG
HAND FOR THE SECOND ROUND.  THE WINNERS OF THE LAST FEW TRICKS IN THE FIRST
ROUND HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF WINNING THE HAND BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES WHO
CAN MAKE MELDS IN THE BEST WAY, OR AT ALL; AND THE MELDED CARDS ARE THEN
AVAILABLE FOR THE SECOND ROUND.  BUT WITHOUT USING SOME HIGH CARDS TO WIN
TRICKS, NO MELDS CAN BE MADE.  HENCE ONE USUALLY TRIES TO SACRIFICE THE FIRST
FEW TRICKS IN AN INTELLIGENT WAY IN ORDER TO WIN THE LATER TRICKS, AND THE
TENSION IN THE GAME IS BETWEEN THE URGE TO TAKE TRICKS NOW AND THE HOPE OF
BIG MELDS LATER; THE SECOND ROUND IS LIKE THE HOME STRETCH OF THE DERBY,
WHICH ONLY IS OF INTEREST IF THE 2 HORSES ARE NECK-IN-NECK TO START WITH.  BUT
IF ONE IS DEALT A POOR HAND, AND ONE IS NOT PLAYING A SINGLE HAND GAME (WHERE
MELDING IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT AND MIRACLE DRAWS MUST BE HOPED FOR), ONE CAN
PLAY JUST FOR TRICK POINTS AND STAY IN THE GAME.

A CLASSIC EXAMPLE IS HOLDING 3 ACES.  HOLDING OUT FOR 100 ACES IS QUITE A
TEMPTATION, BUT 11 OR MORE POINTS PER TRICK WON COULD NET HALF THAT MANY; AND
WAITING TOO LONG COULD RESULT IN LOSING THE CHANCE TO MELD AT ALL; YET WAITING
AWHILE COULD SANDBAG THE OTHER PLAYER INTO VAINLY HOLDING HIS FEW ACES
FIGURING TO DRAW ACES FROM THE DECK; SO IF YOU CAN FIGURE A GENERAL FORMULA
FOR WHAT TO DO, PATENT IT.

SINCE THE LAST FEW TRICKS IN THE FIRST ROUND COUNT SO MUCH, TRY TO SAVE A FEW
HIGH TRUMP CARDS FOR THE END OF THE ROUND.  THUS UNTIL ABOUT HALF THE DECK HAS
BEEN DRAWN, ONE HOLDING A FLUSH SHOULD ONLY MELD HIS ROYAL MARRIAGE; THEN
IT IS ADVISABLE TO MELD THE FLUSH AS SOON AS ONE HAS NO MORE PROTECTIVE CARDS
(SUCH AS MORE ACES AND TENS) THAT INSURE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MELD LATER.

DON'T GIVE FREE INFORMATION TO THE OPPONENT.  WHEN YOU MELD YOU SCORE POINTS
IMMEDIATELY, BUT YOU ALSO INFORM THE OPPONENT OF YOUR HAND, SO USE MELDED
CARDS WHENEVER YOU CAN IN TRICK PLAY.  FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HOLD 2 IDENTICAL
CARDS AND HAVE MELDED ONE OF THEM, ALWAYS PLAY TO A TRICK THE ONE WHICH HAS
BEEN MELDED, NOT THE ONE LEFT IN THE HAND.

WHEN LEADING (PLAYING THE FIRST CARD TO A TRICK), TEND TO USE A CARD FROM A
LONG, NON-TRUMP SUIT.  THE 10-SPOT OF THE LONGEST SUIT IS GENERALLY THE
SAFEST LEAD, BECAUSE THE OPPONENT WILL RARELY ACE IT AND THUS LOSE HIS CHANCE
FOR 100 ACES, AND IF HE TAKES IT WITH A TRUMP CARD WHOSE DUPLICATE YOU
HOLD, HE LOSES HIS CHANCE OF MAKING A FLUSH, WHICH REQUIRES HE HAVE ALL THE
TRUMPS FROM JACK THROUGH ACE.

USUALLY AN OPPONENT ONLY PLAYS AN ACE ON A 10 IF HE HOLDS THE OTHER IDENTICAL
ACE (UNLESS HE IS TRYING TO CASH IN A BAD, THAT IS, UNMELDABLE, HAND).

IF YOU ARE TRYING TO LOSE A TRICK, DON'T DISCARD FROM YOUR LONGEST SUIT
BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SAVING FOR LEADING; INSTEAD, PREFER A NINE OR
JACK FROM A SHORT SUIT.

TRY TO KEEP MENTAL TRACK OF WHEN YOUR OPPONENT CAN'T POSSIBLY HAVE CERTAIN
CARDS, AND THEN MAKE USE OF THAT INFORMATION TO KNOW WHEN TO SWITCH GEARS AND
CONCENTRATE ON BUILDING A GOOD HAND FOR THE SECOND ROUND; IN OTHER WORDS,
WHEN THE OPPONENT DOESN'T HAVE ANY MELDS LEFT TO MAKE, DISREGARD ALL BUT THE
HIGHER SCORING TRICKS AND KEEP THE GOOD CARDS IN HAND FOR THE SECOND ROUND.

NOTE THAT THE NON-DEALER HAS THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY TO LAY DOWN MELDS
BECAUSE HE LEADS THE FIRST CARD AND CAN THEORETICALLY FORCE THE DEALER TO
LOSE THE LAST TRICK SOMETIMES, SCORING THE 10 POINT BONUS.

IN THE SECOND ROUND THE TENSION IS BETWEEN PLAYING HIGH CARDS EARLY TO WIN
TRICKS, BUT LATE ENOUGH TO TAKE THE HIGHEST OF THE OPPONENT'S CARDS, WITHOUT
WAITING TOO LONG AND GETTING SHORT-SUITED (E.G., IF YOU PLAY AN ACE OF HEARTS
AND THE OPPONENT IS OUT OF HEARTS, HE CAN TRUMP YOU).  SIMILARY, THE TRUMP
SUIT IS WORKED TO YOUR ADVANTAGE BY RIDDING YOUR HAND OF SHORT SUITS ON LOSING
TRICKS AND HOPING THE OPPONENT LEADS ONE OF YOUR VOID SUITS WITH SOMETHING
HIGH WHICH YOU CAN TAKE WITH A LOW RANKING TRUMP.  USUALLY THE PLAYER WHO IS
LEADING THE LATER TRICKS CAN MAKE THE OTHER PLAYER DANCE TO HIS TUNE AND KEEP
THE LEAD, MOPPING UP THE AVAILABLE POINTS.  BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN MEMORIZING
THE CARDS PLAYED, YOU WILL BY NOW BE IN BIG TROUBLE AGAINST THE OPPONENT WHO
HAS, BECAUSE HE WILL SEEM TO KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HAND THE CLOSER THE
GAME GETS TO THE LAST TRICK.

COMMAND LINE PARAMETERS:
   S    START UP WITH SOUND OFF
   M    FORCE MONO DISPLAY MODE
   C    FORCE COLOR DISPLAY MODE
   *    SKIP THE STARTUP SHOW

EXAMPLE: >PINOCHLE MS

----------------------
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TOMMY'S TOYS, P.O. BOX 11261, DENVER, CO 80211 USA.

HAVE FUN!