Loadstar 128 10/q10.d81/t.cribbage 128

Text File | 2022-08-28 | 11KB | 217 lines

                            C R I B B A G E   1 2 8

                               by Robert B. Cook

     CRIBBAGE 128 is an easy to use, electronic version of the popular card
game.  The rules are not TOO complicated so I'll list them before I go into
the workings of the program, but don't expect to become an expert just
because you know the rules.  It takes some sailors two or three trips across
the equator to learn a good strategy, then some swabby who doesn't know a
poopdeck from a fo'c'stle comes along and hoists their jibs.  But don't
worry if you're a landlubber, Cribbage can be enjoyed by anyone, and with
this program, you don't even need to have a partner.

THE RULES OF CRIBBAGE

     A regular 52-card deck is used.  The object is to score a certain
number of points before your opponent does.  In CRIBBAGE 128 the number of
points is 61, 91 or 121.  This is decided before play begins.  Usually a
Cribbage board is used to keep score, but we'll let the computer do it for
us.  Two, three or four players may play, but CRIBBAGE 128 is for two
players, you against the computer.  The following rules refer to the
two-player game only.

     The deck is cut to determine who is the dealer.  Six cards are dealt,
face-down, to each player.  Each player then decides which two of his six
cards he wants to discard into the "crib".  The crib belongs to the dealer,
and is set aside, face-down.

     The top card of the deck (called the "starter" card) is turned over and
placed on the deck.  If it's a Jack, the dealer gets 2 points for "His Nobs"
or "His Nibs".

     All cards are counted at face value, except face cards, which all count
as 10's.  Aces are counted as 1's.  The non-dealer begins by playing a card
from his hand to the table in from of him and calling out the value.  The
dealer then plays a card to the table in front of him and calls out the
value of his card PLUS the non-dealer's card.

     Play alternates like this until the value of the cards reaches 31, or
until neither player can play a card without the total exceeding 31.  If one
player can't play a card, he says "Go" (passes) and the other player plays,
if he can.  He must continue to play until he, too, cannot play without
exceeding 31.

     If a player plays a card that brings the total to exactly 31, he says
"31" and gets 2 points.  If neither player achieves an exact 31, the last
player to play says "Go" and scores 1 point.

     If either player has any cards left, the play starts again, with the
value of the stack starting at 0.  This second round is played the same as
the first.  If either player still has cards left, a third round may be
necessary.

     Whoever plays the last card gets 1 point, unless the last play brings
the score to exactly 31.  In that case, he gets 2 points -- not 3.  The
single point for the last card of a hand is not awarded if the last play
makes a 31.

     Now the hands are counted.  The hands consist of the four cards lying
in front of each player, with the dealer having an extra hand, the crib.
The non-dealer counts his points first, then the dealer counts his, then the
dealer counts the crib.  This order is important since the non-dealer has
the chance of winning the game before the dealer gets to count his points.

     The game continues until one player reaches the agreed-upon point goal
of the game (61, 91 or 121).

SCORING DURING THE PLAY

 - As described above, 1 point for a "Go" and 2 points for a "31".

 - In addition, if a player plays a card that makes the total exactly 15, he
gets 2 points.

 - Playing a card of the same rank as the previously played card scores 2
points.  This is called a "Pair".  Face cards, even though they all count as
10's, must be the same rank.  Only a King pairs up with a King, in other
words.

 - If a player immediately plays a third card of the same rank, he gets 6
points.  This is called a "Triplet" or "Pairs Royal".

 - Four-in-a-row merits 12 points.  This is called a "Quadruplet" or "Double
Pairs Royal".

 - If a player plays a card that, when considered with the two previous
plays, forms a sequence, he gets 3 points.  The sequence need not be in
order.  If a 6 is played, then an 8, then a 7, the player who plays the 7
gets 3 points.  The face cards, as far as sequences are concerned, count as
themselves, not 10's.  9, 10 and Jack count as a sequence -- 9, 10 and Queen
do not.

 - Any subsequent addition to a sequence scores 1 point for each card.  A
four-card sequence scores 4 points.  A five-card sequence scores 5.  An Ace
is a 1 and does not form a sequence with a King.  Suits are not relevant in
forming sequences.  Note that a four-card sequence need not follow a
three-card sequence.  Say a 6 is played, then an 8, then a 9.  No sequence,
right?  But if the next card is a 7, that player gets a four-card sequence.
It's like filling an inside straight.

 - Flushes (cards of the same suit) don't count in the play of the game.

SCORING AFTER THE PLAY

 - The "starter" card is counted by both players, as if it's in his hand.
The non-dealer begins by counting up all of the combinations he can find in
his hand.  Then the dealer counts the combinations in his hand, and finally,
counts the combinations in the crib.

 - Points in the hands can be made by 15's, pairs, triplets, quadruplets,
sequences, flushes, and by having the Jack of the same suit as the "starter"
card.

     15's - Every combination that adds up to 15 counts 2 points.  Two face
cards and a 5 count as two 15's and merits 4 points.

     Pairs - Each pair counts 2 points.

     Triplets - Each triplet counts 6 points.  Note that a triplet
supersedes pairs.  The count for the triplet IS the count of all of the pair
combinations.  Don't count pairs AND triplets.

     Quadruplets - Each quadruplet counts 12 points.  Note that a quadruplet
supersedes triplets and pairs.

     Sequences -  This can get complicated so you may want to check out a
Hoyle's Book of Card Games to get the full story.  Basically, you get a
point for every card in a sequence.  However, say your hand has two 4's, a 5
and a 6.  You get 6 points for sequences.  3 for one 4-5-6, and 3 for the
other 4-5-6.  This does not count the 2 points you'd get for the pair.  If
you had 3, 4, 4, 5, 5 in your hand you'd get 16 total points -- 12 for the
sequences and 4 for the pairs.

     Flushes - Four cards of the same suit count for 4 points.  Counting the
starter card, a player may have five cards of the same suit.  This counts as
5 points.  However, in order for the dealer to make a flush with the crib,
the suit of the crib must match the suit of the starter card.

     His Nobs - As mentioned above, having the Jack of the same suit as the
starter card in the crib or in a player's hand scores 1 point.

NOTE:  In playing Cribbage among humans, there are all sorts of penalty
rules that allow scoring for mistakes, misdeals, miscounts, and the like,
but in CRIBBAGE 128 these are ignored (except for MUGGINS, which is
explained below).  Let's face it, the C-64 won't make a misdeal or miscount
and it isn't fair to penalize you for being human.

     It is recommended that you count points in this order:

          15's - Sequences - Flushes - Pairs (or Triplets or Quadruplets)
and finally, His Nobs.

ANOTHER NOTE:  The above instructions were written by a novice Cribbage
player, me, and taken from a good book by Douglas Anderson called ALL ABOUT
CRIBBAGE, (1971 - Winchester Press).

   a Now that you are familiar with the rules of Cribbage, the following
explains how the program works.

     The first thing you're asked to do is cut the deck for the deal.  Move
the joystick (port 2), up or down or press the 8 or 2 key to cut the deck
low, in the middle or high, then press FIRE or RETURN.  The winner of the
deal will be shown under the cards.  In the case of a tie, cut again.
Whenever you see 'press the button', you're being prompted to press FIRE or
RETURN.

     Next, choose the number of points necessary to win the game, 61, 91 or
121.  Again, move the joystick up or down or press key 8 or 2 to the score
of your choice then press FIRE or RETURN.

     Six cards will be dealt