Three-Penny-Scat in 'The Body'

     

 “We were playing three-penny-scat, the dullest card-game ever invented, but it was too hot to think about anything more complicated.” - p.295, Different Seasons-The Body, Stephen King

This is the game which the three boys were playing when Vern arrived at the tree house. The boys started concentrating on the game, talking about it when all became quiet at the news of a dead body.

Three-Penny-Scat is a card game also known as Blitz, Ride The Bus, or 31 Card. To play this game, at least two people are needed. Usually, three people play this game. However, you can play with as many as you want, but have to remember that more decks of cards are needed. In most games, a standard 52-card deck is required. The players start with three cards each. The goal is to find cards with sum close to 31 - Aces are worth 11 points, Kings, queens and jacks are worth 10 points, and the numbers are worth the points written on its surfaceThe cards have to be in same suit(heart, clover, spade, diamond) in order for the person to be able to add them up. If all three cards in one’s hand are in same suits, you can add up all three cards. If only two of the cards are the same suit, one can add up the two unless the sum of the odd card is worth more than the sum of the two.

One dealer is needed. The dealer shuffles the card and then passes them out to the players until all of them have 3 cards. Next, a card is turned face up, indicating the discard pile. The first player draws a card from the discard pile. After each turn, the player must discard one card. If you take a card from the discard pile, you can’t discard the same card.

You can ‘knock’ if you feel that your sum is the closest to 31. (You have to declare that you have 31 if you do so.) Each player will get one last turn to draw and discard. Then, everyone’s cards are revealed. Each player picks a suit and totals their points up in that one suit.

Each player uses three pennies. When players lose a life, their penny goes into the center of the table. If you knock and lose with the lowest hand, you put two pennies in the center. If someone gets 31, all the other players put a penny in the center of the table. If you lose all three lives you are ‘on the country’ or ‘floating’. If you lose while you are floating then you are out of the game. The game continues until one is left.