The Thai game Sergeant Major starts with a 52 card deck and three players. The object for players is to take as many tricks as he can. If, any player succeeds in taking 12 tricks, the game ends and that player is the winner.
Dealing the Cards for Sergeant Major for the First Hand
The Thai dealer is picked randomly and he shuffles the deck and deals 16 cards to each player, one at a time until dealt out. The last four cards that have not been dealt are placed face down on the table screen. This is the kitty. The dealer then names a trump.
The Targets in Sergeant Major
Each player has a target number of tricks that he is trying to obtain. The dealer’s target is 8, the player to his left has a target of 5 and the last player has a target of 3. At the end of the hands, the number of tricks taken is tallied up and if any player has more tricks than his target, he is “up” by that number, if he has less he is “down” by that number. So if the dealer took 9 tricks he would be “up 1,” if he took 7 tricks he would be “down 1.”
The Stakes
The value of individual stakes is determined at the beginning of play, for example a stake could be worth one chip. If a player ends a hand down he must pay 1 stake for every 1 trick that he is down and any players that are up, receive 1 stake for every trick they are up for that hand.
Playing the Game of Sergeant Major.
The player on the dealer’s left starts the game by leading with any card of his choosing. The other players must then follow suit, if possible. If a player does not have any cards of that suit he may put in any other card, including a trump card. The hands are won by the player who played the highest trump card or if no trumps were played, the highest suited card. The winner of each hands leads the next round.
Dealing the Second and Successive Hands
Dealing the second hand is the same as the first with the exception of exchanging cards and the kitty. The deal moves from the original dealer to the person on his left. That person deals out 16 cards to each player and places the remaining 4 cards in the kitty in the middle, face down. At this time, each player who is up gives cards equal to the number of tricks he is up to a player that is down. The down player is then required to take the card and give the up player back the highest card that he has in the suit of the card he was given. If more than one player is up, the one that has more overtricks goes first.
Ending the Game
The game is played until one of the players takes 12 tricks in one hand. He is then the winner.
Let us now talk about Magic the Gathering card mechanics, a traditional and offline version that still exist at several Thai casino houses. Magic the Gathering has many different mechanics, which have been brought out in a variety of card sets. It is important to understand what each ability does, and the type of ability. Using this information is critical to building Magic decks that work well. One would not want to use cards with abilities that clash; plus many abilities go well with others to provide nice combo effects.
Banding
Banding is a mechanic that is no longer used, but it is worth mentioning. 5th Edition was the last core set to produce cards with Banding, and Weatherlight was the last expert set. Cards with Banding can no longer be used in most tournaments, but some players still use cards with this ability for casual play.
Banding allows multiple creatures to attack or block as one creature. This allows the player to assign damage as they like between the banded creatures. It must be noted that the band is only as good as the total. If only one creature in the band has shadow, it loses this ability while it is banded.
Bloodthirst
Bloodthirst is a static ability that is useful during the second main phase of play. On the current turn, if a player deals damage to an opponent, Bloodthirst X adds X +1/+1 counters when the card with Bloodthirst is played. It does not matter how much damage was caused, or the source of that damage. All that matters is that an opponent received damage. Examples of creatures with Bloodthirst are Bogardan Lancer and Petrified Wood-kin.
Buyback
Buyback is a sorcery and instant ability. It allows the card to return to the caster’s hand instead of the graveyard for an additional cost that is paid when the card is played. The cost could be additional mana or another condition such as discarding from your hand. An example of a card with Buyback is Demonic Collusion.
Convoke
Convoke is an ability which allows a player to lower the casting cost of a card by tapping creatures. The creature tapped can reduce the cost by one colored mana or by one generic mana. Examples of cards with Convoke are Hour of Reckoning and Angel of Salvation.
Cumulative Upkeep
Cumulative Upkeep is a mechanic that requires the player to meet certain conditions every turn’s upkeep. Normally this is adding an age counter to the card and then having to pay a mana cost of X for X amount of age counters on the card. An example of a card with Cumulative Upkeep is Mind Harness from Mirage.
Cycling
Cycling is an ability that a player can use for cards in his or her hand. If a card has cycling, the player may discard the card and pay X amount to draw another card. Some cards have an effect that is triggered by Cycling. For example, the card Complicate counters a spell when it is Cycled. This effect is in addition to being able to draw a card.
Deathtouch
Deathtouch is an ability that allows the creature to destroy any creature that it blocks or is blocked by.
Entwine
Entwine is an awesome ability which allows a player to pay a cost to play both effects on an either/or spell.