TEGWAR Exciting Game Without Any Rules
I bet you 50 cents that your first card game was Old Maid or Fish. From there you moved to bigger and better things, even a little penny blackjack, right? Now of course you hit the big time, poker (where I come from, "bridge" is how you get to Brooklyn). But if you find yourself losing too much money or you're just bored with poker, try "TEGWAR," an original and challenging game created by author Mark Harris in his novel "Bang the Drum Slowly," which has now been made into a movie. Now that you know where TEGWAR came from, I will secretly pass on to you the what of TEGWAR. Greater minds than ours will soon discover the why TEGWAR is a different game. The letters T-E-G-W-A-R stand for The Exciting Game Without Any Rules, and that is what it's all about. I am betraying a trust in explaining the game, and I'm certain that from now on I will become a marked man. But anyway, here goes. First, to understand TEGWAR we must know the rules. Of course you have just read where there are no rules, so that is the first rule. Therefore: Rule #7 - There are no rules. This rule must be obeyed if there is to be a game. Rule #2 - Only four persons can play this game, unless there are two of you or three, or five, or six or whatever. One of these persons, who is known as "The Fish" but never called that, knows all the rules of card playing and must have confidence in himself as a man and TEGWAR player, even if he's never played before.
The Fish begins by putting money on the table, keeping this up while other players or player or combination of the same add to, subtract from or equal the money The Fish keeps putting on the table while the same is done or abstained from by the players or person or people across the room. Any variance of this rule can cause a misdeal, except in the third match of the evening which nullifies itself any hour before the 6 p.m. news, unless it's 10:45, in which case this rule still applies. Rule #3 - In the game itself, 12 cards are dealt out, two to each player except the player on the right who plays the discards. If in the dealing out of the two cards, a player can end the game in the following fashion by calling out "Fit 'n Fine" or "Red Rooster" (the highest count and perfect natural), both cards adding up to 15 is a perfect match or natural and this ends the game. Now the winner stays out while the other players play for the second best which can and usually does eliminate the original winner because he had no right to be there in the first place. Rule #4 - If a player has been losing all night long, the biggest winner is penalized and must give half of his winnings back to the loser, and in a head to head TEGWAR showdown the hands are dealt in rapid fashion and the black jack is the joker unless dealt in the previous round whereupon the Change of Seats Play comes into effect and the player without any is the first to sit, winning or losing, if the pot is full.
Rule #5 - I would think so, but see section below to make sure. Rule #6 - At this time of the night all previous commentary is to be played out, dealers dealing from the bottom of the unused deck, face up and counterclockwise. Rule #7 - If a player is taller than the minimum, then a cover charge is to be added to the 7,5 percent Rule #8 - A change of partners can only occur when the rule applies to the situation calling for a change. Rule #9 - The first team or individual scoring 300 points or more has the first "beckett" or "knowlton" - 3 "knowltons" equal 1 (one) "beckett," which doesn't count in the final tally. Rule #10 Anyone caught cheating is to be penalized three "trydons," which can be deadly especially if you're playing for money. These are the basic rules in TEGWAR (advanced players will probably want to make up more), but you don't have to follow any of the rules because there are no rules in TEGWAR except the naturals and true love. Everybody should play TEGWAR, especially families who don't talk to one another. This will solidify the break. If there are any questions that's good. It shows you have interest and a lively mind. Please make 15 copies of these rules and send them to friends. The first one who breaks the chain will hear from the others.
The Fish begins by putting money on the table, keeping this up while other players or player or combination of the same add to, subtract from or equal the money The Fish keeps putting on the table while the same is done or abstained from by the players or person or people across the room. Any variance of this rule can cause a misdeal, except in the third match of the evening which nullifies itself any hour before the 6 p.m. news, unless it's 10:45, in which case this rule still applies. Rule #3 - In the game itself, 12 cards are dealt out, two to each player except the player on the right who plays the discards. If in the dealing out of the two cards, a player can end the game in the following fashion by calling out "Fit 'n Fine" or "Red Rooster" (the highest count and perfect natural), both cards adding up to 15 is a perfect match or natural and this ends the game. Now the winner stays out while the other players play for the second best which can and usually does eliminate the original winner because he had no right to be there in the first place. Rule #4 - If a player has been losing all night long, the biggest winner is penalized and must give half of his winnings back to the loser, and in a head to head TEGWAR showdown the hands are dealt in rapid fashion and the black jack is the joker unless dealt in the previous round whereupon the Change of Seats Play comes into effect and the player without any is the first to sit, winning or losing, if the pot is full.
Rule #5 - I would think so, but see section below to make sure. Rule #6 - At this time of the night all previous commentary is to be played out, dealers dealing from the bottom of the unused deck, face up and counterclockwise. Rule #7 - If a player is taller than the minimum, then a cover charge is to be added to the 7,5 percent Rule #8 - A change of partners can only occur when the rule applies to the situation calling for a change. Rule #9 - The first team or individual scoring 300 points or more has the first "beckett" or "knowlton" - 3 "knowltons" equal 1 (one) "beckett," which doesn't count in the final tally. Rule #10 Anyone caught cheating is to be penalized three "trydons," which can be deadly especially if you're playing for money. These are the basic rules in TEGWAR (advanced players will probably want to make up more), but you don't have to follow any of the rules because there are no rules in TEGWAR except the naturals and true love. Everybody should play TEGWAR, especially families who don't talk to one another. This will solidify the break. If there are any questions that's good. It shows you have interest and a lively mind. Please make 15 copies of these rules and send them to friends. The first one who breaks the chain will hear from the others.