Rook+ 3.5.0

Rook, the popular trick-taking card game, is now available as an app. Unlike other apps, Rook offers a seamless gaming experience without any intrusive ads or tracking. The game is played with a specially numbered deck, ranging from 5 to 14, and features four suit colors along with a unique Rook card. Notably, the Rook card is depicted as a castle chess piece and the overall design ensures color-blind friendliness.

Let's delve into the gameplay:

• Dealing: Before each hand, the dealer distributes 9 cards to each player, moving clockwise around the table. Additionally, 5 cards are dealt to the widow, which is placed in the middle of the table.
• Bidding: Players bid for the privilege of naming the trump suit. The bidding begins at 70 (or a player can choose to pass). Subsequently, bidding proceeds in five-point increments, moving to the left. Players who pass are excluded from the bidding for that particular hand.
• Widow and Naming Trump: Following the bidding phase, the highest bidder gains possession of the 5 widow cards (which are shown to all players). This player then selects a trump suit for the hand and discards 5 cards from their hand (these discards remain hidden from other players). The discarded cards may include point cards, which will be awarded to either the high bidder or the winner of the previous trick, based on your settings.
• Tricks: The dealer or the high bidder (configurable) leads the first trick. Play proceeds in a clockwise manner until all four players have played one card each. Players are required to follow suit unless they don't hold any cards of that particular suit. In such cases, any card can be played. When no trump cards are played during a trick, the highest card of the lead suit wins. Conversely, if trump cards are played, the highest trump card takes the trick. The winner of each trick gathers the cards and places them in their won tricks pile, subsequently leading the next trick. The ranking of cards, from highest to lowest, is Rook-14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5.
• Hand results: After each hand, both teams count the points amassed in their won tricks piles. Notably, the Rook card carries a value of 20 points, while the 14 and 10 cards are each worth 10 points. Additionally, 5 cards are valued at 5 points. All other cards hold no point value. If the bidding team fails to accumulate enough points to meet their bid, their score decreases by the bid amount.
• Winning: The game concludes when one team reaches a total of 300 points or establishes a lead of 300 points over their opponents.

An ad-supported version of the Rook app is also available for free on the App Store.