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Black Maria ( Hearts)
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No. of Players |
4 - 5 (1 pack of cards) 6 - 8 (2 packs of cards) |
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Cards to be dealt |
4 players - 13 cards each 5 players - 10 cards each (remove 2C and 2D) 6 players - 17 cards each (remove 2C and a QS) 7 players - 14 cards each (remove a QS and the 2C and 2D) 8 players - 13 cards |
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Stake |
To be agreed - an amount for every 10 or 20 points behind the winner. Suggest the game finished when a players score reaches 301 points. |
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Object |
To avoid taking a trick which includes either the queen of spades or a heart, as these cards incur a penalty as follows - Queen of Spades = 30 points Ace of Hearts = 15 points King, Queen, Jack and 10 of Hearts = 10 points All other Hearts at face value All other cards in the remaining three suits - nil points The player with the lowest score wins and the game ends when one player reaches 301 points. |
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Preliminaries |
Cut for deal. The deal changes each round in clockwise rotation. Cards are dealt face down. Each player examines his or her hand and passes three undesirable cards to the player on the left. The cards must be passed before the three incoming cards are examined and included in a player's hand. Any player holding the Queen of Spades (The Black Maria) is not allowed to use this card as one of their three discards. Any three other cards, including hearts, may be passed on. |
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Play |
The player to the left of the dealer leads a card and the remaining players follow suit (as in Whist). Any player not able to follow may discard the Queen of Spades (if held), a heart or any other suit according to their strategy. The player who wins the trick (aces high) also acquires any discarded penalty cards, which count against them, and then leads to the next trick. Once all the tricks have been taken, each player adds up the value of the penalty cards acquired and the total is scored against his or her name. The cards are shuffled and redealt and the process is repeated, until one player reaches 301 points. |
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NB |
If more than one pack of cards is used and two cards of the same value are played on a trick, the first of the two cards played is considered the highest or dominant card if it is a question of who wins the trick. |