Players: 3, 4 and 6 players. 

Cards: pack of  52, plus Jokers. 

The deal: the dealer deals 6 cards for the nest and the rest is dealt out to the players.  How the cards are ranked: the high Joker, the one with writing on it; follow by Joker, followed by the Jack of the trump, next Jack of the same color, followed by A, K, Q, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. If the card deck you are using has no Joker with writing on it, you can make a mark on one of the Joker by using a pen: for example a X will work just fine. Example: trump is Hearts, Joker with the writing on it or the Joker with the X, follow by the Joker, Jack of Hearts, Jack of  Diamonds, A, K, Q, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.

The trump is ranked: Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, Clubs and no trump. 

Scoring: The tricks are worth 10 points each. A player bids 5 tricks. Each trick is worth 10 points and every extra trick is worth one point. If the player falls short of make the bid, the player goes back in points (Example: the player bid 4 trick he made 3 tricks the player goes back 40 points).

Winner of the game: Player, or team make 250 or 500 points first. 

Nello: The player must not make a trick. If the player makes a trick, the player goes back 100 points. If the player makes no tricks, the player makes 100 points. The partners of a player who calls nello can help their partner. The partner of a player who calls nello can also make the bid. The dealer can call nello only after a player bids first. 

Playing with three players: The game uses a dummy hand for the fourth player. The dummy hand is placed on the left of who ever makes the bid. The player on the left of the dummy hand plays the dummy's cards.  The cards are played at random; No one knows what the dummy's will play. When a player passes, the dealer must take the bid the second time around. The player on the left of the dealer starts the bid. The players can bid as high as it takes to win the bid. (For example, if a player bids 5 spades, and the next player bids 5 hearts the players will just keep on biding higher until someone do not have to trump; player can throw down any card. A player who makes a bid must take the bid. The bid with 3 or 4 players starts at 5. No one takes the bid, the dealer has to take the bid at 4. The bid with 6 players starts at 4. No one takes the bid, the dealer has to take the bid at 2. 

When playing with 4 or 6 players:  Play with teams or against each other. 

When playing with 6 players: Play with 3 teams of two or 2 teams of  3. 

No trump: The cards are ranked in the order: Joker with writing on it or X marked on the Joker, the player plays a Joker; the player calls the Joker: Hearts, Spades, Diamonds or Clubs. 

© 1998 Michael Lawson