Stich-Meister

[aarondf]

Played this new Friedemann Friese card game on Saturday and I think it is the best new Card Game (as distinct from "Game Played with Cards" like RftG or Dominion or many others) I have played since Tichu. Only played twice but I am pretty sure it will hold up. Initial rating probably an 8.5.

Comments

[aarondf]

I've played Eidex and like it ok but think this is MUCH better and much more accessible. I played it both 3 player and 4 player and both worked very well. Also supports 5 but that would probably be not quite as good. It is similar to Eidex in the rule changing but MUCH easier to understand and most rounds feel much more like a normal trick taking round. Each of the rules added is very simple but there are 4 of them each round, basically 1 per player, so in combination they make for a very interesting variation each round.

A single round might have Orange and 8s as trump (which basically does the same thing as Mu in terms of creating a separate trump suit with a super-trump) but with also every trump card taken being worth -1 point and the led card in a trick never winning the trick. This in addition to the standard rule of every trick is +1 point. Thus trumping to win a trick is kind of neutral but winning a full trump trick is awful but at least then you could lead your highest trump afterwards and be guaranteed it doesn't win - cool rule interactions.