Welcome to the network Blackout server. The rules of Blackout are below. The challenge and move commands for Blackout are described here. Other commands are the same for all pbmserv games.
parameters: -inorder Players will play in the order specified. The default is to randomize player order at the beginning of the game.
-hook The "hook" is enabled, requiring that the total bid for a hand not equal the total tricks of the hand. This results in at least one player not making their bid each hand. This is the default behavior
Blackout is a trick-winning card game. The object is to correctly bid how many tricks you will take each round.
The number of cards dealt increases with each round. The first round, each player receives one card. The last round, each player receives 13 cards. In each round except the last, the next card in the deck is turned up to determine the trump suit. In the last round, there is no trump.
Each hand, players must bid exactly the number of tricks they will take. Players who bid correctly will receive points equal to their bid plus 10 points. Players who bid incorrectly (too high or too low) will receive 0 points.
If the -hook option is enabled (the default), the last person to bid may not place a bid that would result in a total bid for all players equal to the total number of tricks in the hand.
At the beginning of each hand, all players must bid the number of tricks they will take. Bidding proceeds clockwise. After all bids are placed, the first player to bid leads the first trick.
In the first hand, a player sees every card except his own. After all bids are placed, the cards will be played automatically.
Players must follow the lead suit if possible. If they do not have a card in the lead suit, they may play a card from another suit, including the trump suit. If no trump is played, the highest card in the lead suit will win the trick. If trump is played, the highest trump card will win the trick. The player who wins a trick leads the next trick.