California Jack is a trick-taking card game that can be enjoyed by two players.
Win specific cards during the round to help you win this game!
Find the video tutorial and written explanation for how to play California Jack below.
California Jack Tutorial
Needed
52 card deck; two players
Deal
Each player is dealt six cards in sets of three cards at a time. The remaining deck is placed into the middle, and the top card of the deck is flipped face-up. The suit of the flipped up card is the trump suit for the round.
Objective
California Jack is a trick-taking game. A trick is created by each player playing a card into the middle. The player with the highest ranking trump card played wins the trick. If no trump card was played, the highest ranking card in the lead suit will win the trick.
The object of the game is to win points. There are four possible points to win each round. Winning the ace of trumps is a point, winning the two of trumps is a point, and winning the jack of trumps is a point. One point is also awarded for game.
Some of the cards are assigned a value. Each 10 is worth ten card points, aces are worth four card points, kings are worth three card points, queens are worth two card points, and jacks are worth one card point. At the end of the round, the player with the most card points wins the one game point
Card Rank
Highest to lowest
Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
Game Play
The non-dealing player with lead the first card. The dealer will have to follow suit by playing a card in the same suit as the card played by the non-dealing player, or can play a trump suited card. The player who played the highest ranking trump suited card wins the trick. If no trump suited card was played, the player with the highest ranking card in the lead suit wins the trick.
The player that wins the trick takes the top card of the deck. The opponent will take the next top card from the deck. The cards from the deck are shown when being taken for all players to see.
The next top card from the deck is flipped up. The player that won the last trick will lead the next trick. Players continue to play to tricks until the remaining deck runs out.
Once the deck runs out, the last six tricks are played without drawing cards after. Once the last six tricks have been played, the round is over.
Scoring
After the round, players count their point cards.
Ace of trumps = 1 point
2 of trumps = 1 point
Jack of trumps = 1 point
Game (most card points) = 1 point
Card points
10 = 10 card points
Ace = 4 card points
King = 3 card points
Queen = 2 card points
Jack = 1 card point
The scores are recorded. The first player to an agreed upon amount of points, such as 10, wins the game.
Rules
If a player can follow the lead suit, the player can play a card in the lead suit, or a trump suited card. If a player cannot follow the lead suit, the player must play a trump suited card. If a player cannot follow the lead suit, and doesn’t have a trump suited card, the player can play any card.
If the players tie for the most card points, no player receives the one game point.
If both players get to the agreed upon amount of points or more after the same round, the points are scored in an order. First, the ace of trumps is scored, then the 2 of trumps, then the jack of trumps, and finally the game point is scored.