This is where the fun begins. Relax, wear comfortable clothes, play nice background music, get a nice deck of cards, and three other people. You're all welcome.
Remember, this is a partnership game. Two teams of two players each sit with partners facing each other. Game starts with the one who has the kingdom and moves counter-clockwise. No talking not sign-language-signalling to anyone anything at all should be allowed. Communicate only by watching and focusing on each card played.
Shuffle the deck well, make the person on your left cut the deck (replace a portion of the deck from top to bottom), and deal them counter-clockwise starting with the person on your right (and ending with you). Whoever gets the 7 of Hearts rules this kingdom. This person has the choice to play either one of the 2 games, or a reshuffle of the deck on their own (only this very first time) and continue normally till the end. While any player is choosing the kingdom, their partner must not pick up the cards until the game is chosen, to avoid cheating via team communication.
You continue with whichever game this person chooses, note the scores, then this person again shuffles, cuts and deals the same way to play the other round. Once again, count the scores and the kingdom is over. The person on their right has the next kingdom and it's their turn to shuffle, cut, deal, and play their kingdom the same way.
TRIX:
The objective here is to finish the cards in your hand fastest, while playing one card down at each turn. The person who has the kingdom starts the game with a J, and if they don't have one they 'Pass', and the next person (on the right) has to play. You're trying to arrange all 4 suits in order, starting with the Jack.
If a J is down, the next person has the option to play an immediate next/previous card, another Jack, or to Pass. You cannot Pass if there is any card in your hand that can be played. If you do, we usually wrap up the round and give your team minimum points and play the next round, so make sure you focus.
For example, if there is a J-10-9 down, you can play a Q or an 8, and continue like that till all the suits have been arranged fully.
If you have three 2's and the 3 of the last (other) suit, you can choose to reshuffle and repeat the round of Trix. You could do it with four 2's too, but you must have a 3.
When the person chooses to play Trix, or the round after a Complex is chosen, if you have any 2's you ask your opponents if they have any 2's as well. If both teams have 2's, you all put the four 2's face down in front of you, though it is still a part of your hand that you have to play normally. After the first player (kingdom owner) has completed two turns, you all flip the 2's in order to selectively play suits to help your team to finish before the opponents (as you'll block/not play their suit or the 2's that they have).
The 2 is most likely the last card of that suit (unless you're blocked from the top and you cannot play the Ace or King). It usually determines who will finish later so you must try to play your own suits before the opponents. If all the 2's are amongst one team, you don't need display it (as only your teammate will automatically know which 2's you have and try to help you).
The round ends when all the 4 suits are completely arranged down and the points are given in finishing order.
COMPLEX:
The objective here is to collect minimum negative points as a team. This is a trick-taking game, i.e. when a person plays down a card, the others must follow the same suit, and only if they don't have this suit they can play anything else. When the 4 cards are played, the one who played the highest card of the suit that was played first, collects that hand and plays the next card. This is done 13 times and then the points are counted for the team. Some cards have extra points, so try to avoid taking them.
When the person chooses to play Complex, or the round after a Trix is chosen, you get a chance to "double" cards before starting. The only five cards that are allowed to be doubled are the 4 Queens, and the King of Hearts.
Everyone who has a card to double must put their doubled card(s) face down in front of them, without looking at anyone else's. This is done to avoid situations where a player looks at the doubled card (suit) of another player, and depending on that move, double a card from their own hand. This is deemed unfair therefore once everyone has doubled, you have to flip it so everyone can see, and it's still a part of your hand (if someone else opens this suit you cannot play anything else unless this one is played too). Whoever takes it will get double the negative value of the card and the opponents will get positive of the normal value in their round score.
For example, if you double the King (only of Hearts allowed) and Queen of Clubs and give both to the opponents team, you get a +75 and +25 = +100 bonus with the negative points that you take in this round. And the opponents don't get any positive, just doubled negative points, i.e. -150 for the King and -50 for the Queen.
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