Holly Oak

Dossier

In the seasonal trick-taking game Holly Oak, 3-5 revelers mark the passing of the seasons, seeking the favor of the Celtic Oak and Holly kings, locked in their endless cycle of growth, decay, and renewal. You must follow the current season if you can, but if you can't, then you may play any card. If you play a card of the next season, the season changes! A change in season often alters who wins that trick, as the highest rank card of the season that the trick ends in, wins that trick. These potential mid-trick season changes means that standard trick-taking maneuvers, such as drawing out trump, often won't work. Players score points either by taking the 6 Holly and Oak kings, worth 1 or 2 points each, or by taking no tricks at all, worth 8, 5, or 3 points in 3, 4, and 5 player games respectively. Between no-trick scoring and mid-trick trump changes, Holly Oak becomes a game of manipulating both the lead and current season to your advantage. Can you master the changing seasons?

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