Sergeant Major

How to play

Three players, every hand for yourself. Sixteen cards each are dealt and the last four form the kitty. The dealer picks up the kitty (twenty cards), discards any four face-down, then names the trump suit.

Targets go by seat: the dealer must take 8 tricks, the player to the dealer's left 5, and the remaining player 3 — the deal (and the targets with it) rotates left each hand.

The player left of the dealer leads; follow the led suit if you can, otherwise play anything. The highest trump wins the trick, or the highest card of the led suit, and the winner leads next.

Each hand you score your tricks minus your target — over is positive, under is negative — on a running total. The first player at +10 or better at the end of a hand wins the match (the traditional between-hand card exchange is omitted).

Ways to play

• 🤖
  Against the computerPlay on one device against a computer opponent.
• 👪
  Play together, nearbyWith family and friends in the same room: up to 3 players, each on their own phone or tablet. No Wi-Fi or internet needed. In the Jambolaya app.
• 🎓
  Learn by playingA guided lesson on the real game teaches you the rules one step at a time.