BRIDGE is the most popular card game in the world, and Bridge from Special K gives you the excitement and challenge of Bridge without the need to find three other people to play with.
People who do not enjoy Bridge will certainly enjoy 500 Card Game or SKAT, CANASTA, EUCHRE, WHIST or one of the 12 games in the RUMMY family of games. These card games are played in all locations across the world, and their fans are just as fanatical. These games are all enjoyable because they each contain a different balance of skill and luck. Each game is designed for both beginners and experts, and have many tuition features which may be turned off for the expert.
The 500 Card Game is the greatest card game ever devised (arguably). It is most popular in Australia, New Zealand, USA, and Canada. Download the software that allows you to play against your computer here.
RUMMY contains classic games of GIN RUMMY, 500 RUMMY, PINOCHLE RUMMY, KALUKI, OKLAHOMA GIN, and the Rummy games of MICHIGAN, BOATHOUSE, ROUND THE CORNER, HIGH - LOW, ONE MELD, WILD CARD, and the newest addition INDIAN RUMMY .
SKAT is the classic national German card game. It stands out as being the best game for three players as it is specifically designed for three players. It is also challenging as it is the most complex game.
EUCHRE and the latest addition to this card game range, CANASTA, can be customized to all the rules you want to play by.
WHIST contains both the standard Whist game, and also Knock Out Whist. This variety maintains the excitement felt on traditional Whist Drives.
All the games of 500 , Bridge , Euchre , Canasta, Skat , Whist and Rummy are recognized as being the best collection in their class. These card games run in all current Windows operating systems (Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 7, XP, ME, NT, 2000, 9x), on PC's, notebooks, and tablets. Jump to the game you want with the buttons on the left of the screen, or simply scroll down the page.
Not many games are as methodical as Bridge, and this makes many Bridge players fanatical in their dedication to the game. The game developed from Whist, and in particular a variant called Russian Whist. This popular game plays in Windows, and has a real time explanation of what bids mean as well as an extensive help file, so is ideal for beginners and experts.
The 500 Card Game is the greatest card game ever devised. It was created by the US Playing Card Co. in 1904 as a variant of Euchre. Since then, its popularity has resulted in many variants in many parts of the World, and these are accommodated with a fully customizable rules selection so that you can play by the exact rules you enjoy. The computer plays for three players, and you play the fourth, so that you will never miss out on a game again. You can adjust your preferences for skill and speed of play, so that the computer players play just like your human friends.
Five Hundred Card Game Useful Links
500 Card Game for Android devices - Great site for playing on your phone.
Rules of 500 - the excellent site with lots of information on different rules used in different parts of the globe.
Bryce Francis has a 500 site with his preference for playing.
Neil Maloney has written a description of terms used in 500.
On Line 500 Club uses an Internet Browser Plug in to play the game on-line.
Canasta is one of the best known games in the world and belongs in the Rummy family. Canasta is the Spanish word for Basket and the card game evolved in Uruguay and Argentina in the mid 1940's. It became the most popular card game in America from 1948 and in Britain in the years 1950 to 1952.
The game has the advantage that it is enjoyable when played with two to six players, although it is classically played with four. The game shares the same objectives as all Rummy games - to meld your cards into groups of three or more cards of the same rank, but in Canasta sequences are not allowed. In addition, the major points are awarded to achieving groups of 7 or more cards in a meld (called a Canasta).
This Classic Canasta game plays in Windows. Download, and install it, and you can then play whenever you want, even if you cannot find human partners.
Canasta Best Links
Cats at Cards - how to play Canasta
Pagat - a terrific site for lots of card game rules
The How To Play site - a great Canasta resource
D.J.McAdam - free advice from D.J.
American Canasta Society - this is a good site for rules for Modern American Canasta, but be aware that many rules are different from the Classic Canasta in the Special K Software game.
Wikipedia - always worth a look
RUMMY contains all the classic Rummy games. You can choose the standard games of RUMMY, GIN RUMMY, 500 RUMMY, PINOCHLE RUMMY, KALUKI, OKLAHOMA GIN, MICHIGAN RUMMY, BOAT HOUSE RUMMY, ROUND THE CORNER, HIGH - LOW, ONE MELD, WILD CARD, INDIAN RUMMY, or you can customize the rules to play the way that you want. You can even make up your own game!
EUCHRE is derived from the game 'Juker' or 'juckerspiel', which was played in Alsace. It reached the USA in the early 1800's, and in the 1850's it became the first ever game to use a Joker! In 1904 the US Playing Card Co. created a variant called 500. This computer version has customizable settings so that it is a challenge to new and experienced players, while maintaining all the enjoyment of the original.
Euchre Best Links
Cats at Cards - a very good manual on Euchre rules
The How to Play site - great Euchre resource
Pagat - a terrific site for lots of card game rules
Euchre - There Is No Other Card Game site
WikiHow - explanation for playing Euchre
Whist originated in England when it evolved from earlier games (Triumph and Ruff and Honours) which were known in the 16th century. Edmond Hoyle published A Short Treatise on the Game of Whist in 1742, but Henry Jones was the first person to compile a complete description of scientific Whist play in 1862. During the 19th century, the game spread to other European countries, and Whist tournaments (or Whist Drives) became fashionable in society circles. Whist continued the evolution and gave rise to the game of Bridge during this century.
This one game, contains both WHIST and KNOCK OUT WHIST.
Skat is the German national card game, being invented in the town of Altenburg around 1810. It is distinctive in being a three handed game, however it is often played by four people, with the dealer sitting out each round. The three active players are dealt 10 cards each, and the remaining two cards form the skat, giving the game its name. It is a trick taking game, but differs from most other trick taking games in that the number of tricks taken does not determine the winner. Indeed it is possible to win the hand taking only two of the possible ten tricks.
Skat Best Links
Wikipedia - Great site with detailed rules and examples.
Pagat - Great card game site for all card game rules.
Encyclopaedia Britannica - Details of Skat rules.
Cats at Cards - How to play Skat.
Altenberg - A guide to Skat's birthplace, Altenberg, Germany.
ISPA - The German site of the International Skat Players Association.
These games are distributed under the Shareware system. That means that they are NOT free, but rather you can test the shareware version and if you like it, then you must pay for it by registering it.
You may register all of these games on-line. Your payment is secure on PayPal, and you do not even need an account. For the one US$38 cost you get to download the registered versions of all 7 Special K Software Card Games - 500, Bridge, Canasta, Euchre, Rummy, Skat, and Whist. You can get all my Card Games for the one low cost by clicking here to use PayPal, the most convenient and quickest way to register. You do NOT need a PayPal account to pay this.
End User License Agreement
End User License Agreement
This copyrighted software is distributed commercially, as is. The end user has the right to install the software on one computer, where it may be used by any number of users on that single computer. A copy may be installed on two other computers, as long as the software would not be used concurrently on different computers (eg on a computer, a notebook, and a tablet). If you require the software on more than three computers, you must purchase additional copies. Multi computer licenses are available at a discount - contact Special K Software).
A standalone version may not be installed on a network drive. Please keep a backup copy of the registered version, which you must not distribute outside of your immediate family.
This software is free of any adware or advertising. The purchaser is responsible for their own computer, and Special K Software bares no responsibility for any failings that may occur.
Uninstall shortcuts are created when installing these games. If you no longer want the games, then simply run the game Uninstall shortcut on the Start Menu to remove all trace of the game.
