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Rook (card game)

Trick-Taking Card Games

Rook is both the name of a family of North American trick-taking card games and of the special 57-card deck made for them, introduced by Parker Brothers in 1906. The deck has four colored suits numbered 1 to 14 plus a picture card of a bird, the Rook, which is usually played as an extra trump. The main games are point-trick games with bidding and trumps, in which the 1, 14, 10 and 5 of each suit count for points. The deck was probably welcomed by communities that disapprove of standard playing cards, such as Mennonites, and the games remain popular in Eastern Kentucky, southern Ontario, Manitoba, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Kentucky Rook is played by four players in fixed partnerships, with a nest of cards and a bidding round to choose trumps.

Facts
Sport
Game Type (category)
Card Game 1
Game Type (category)
Trick-Taking Game 1
Classification
Player Count
Team-Based (Two Teams) 1
Origin Year
1906 1
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Source Pagat: Pagat: Commercial Card GamesRook entry
Quote, Rook entry
93 years after its American debut in 1906 Rook at last landed in continental Europe
Sources
1. Rook (card game rules page)
  • Introduction
    Rook is the name of a group of games and of the special deck of cards
  • Introduction [game-type-category]
    The main group of games are point trick games with trumps and bidding.
  • Kentucky Rook
    This game is for four players in fixed partnerships
  • Introduction [origin-year]
    which was introduced by Parker Brothers in 1906
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