Thousand (1000): Origin, Rules, Explanation of Terms

How to Play Thousand (1000): Game Rules –

The History of the Game Thousand

The game Thousand began in 1915 and was popular among sailors, originally having slightly different rules and the name “Kachalka” (Rocking). The game got its first name due to long voyages, as sailors rocked on the waves.

Later, it became played on land and quickly gained recognition among people. Despite its complex rules, the game was considered very captivating and interesting. It received its second name due to the main goal of the players, which is to score a thousand points and win.

You can play the card game Thousand online for free on specialized services. Or offline, in the company of friends and acquaintances.

Brief Rules of Thousand

Brief rules of Thousand: the game can be played either by two or three players. A deck consisting of 24 cards – from nine to ace is used. To win, a player must be the first to score a thousand points. Detailed rules can be found in the following sections.

Rules of Thousand

The game is recommended for two or three people. A 24-card deck is used, which is well shuffled and dealt to the players. At the time of dealing, a draw pile is formed. If you are playing in pairs, then two draw piles of two cards each are made. If you are playing with three people, the draw pile consists of three cards.

The next stage of the game is trading. You can participate in trading if you wish, if not, you need to place a “Pass” card near you. If you take part in trading, you need to make a bet on the points scored at the end of the match. The first player making a bet cannot bet less than a hundred points, the other players must bet plus five points.

For example, the first player speculated that they would score 17 points and bets 100 points on it. The second player made a bet of 105 points on 15 points. If at the end of the match your bet plays out, then your points are credited, and you take the draw pile, if not, they are deducted.

The trick-taking stage. The player who makes the first bet places a card on the table. The other players throw their cards clockwise. The participant with the highest card takes the trick.

Next, the game consists of tricks during which marriage cards can be played, and trumps can be declared. Once all cards are played, points are counted. How to correctly count points is described below.

The game continues until one of the participants scores 1000 points.

Card Values

The main goal of each participant is to score 1000 points, therefore each card has its value in the count:

Ace – 11 points,

Ten – 10 points,

King – 4 points,

Queen – 3 points,

Jack – 2 points,

Nine – 0 points

Note that the ten is ranked second in seniority!

In addition to the basic values of cards, additional points are awarded for collecting marriage in Thousand

Value of marriage trump cards:

Thousand Rules Video

Learn the rules of the game Thousand with this video: (VIDEO)

Thousand Game Terminology

During a game of Thousand, experienced players use many terms that greatly simplify communication between participants. If Thousand is new to you and you are playing your first or second game, it is important to understand the meaning of the following words to avoid awkward situations.

Trading

Trading in Thousand is an important part of the game. Each player must think carefully and place a bet. Trading is betting on your points.

After the deal, each player examines their cards and calls the number of points they must take in the game, after announcing the amount they make a bet, with a minimum size of 100 points, and then +5 points. If the bet burns out, and the participant could not score the required number of points during the game, then the bet is deducted from the total when counting. If the bet played, then the player is added, the number of points that were announced by him at the stage of trading. A player can refuse to trade, for this there is a specific card “Pass” on the field.

If a participant wins the auction, they take the buy-in. Also, they get the right to the first move in the next game, and the right to the first bet in trading.

There are some limitations that should not be forgotten:

• If the player has no marriage in their hand, their bet should not exceed 120 points.
• Having only spades marriage in hand, your bet should be less than or equal to 160 points.
• If you have collected only clubs marriage, then you have access to a bet of up to 180 points.
• Diamonds marriage allows you to make a bet of up to 200 points.
• Having hearts marriage in hand, you can make a bet of up to 220 points.
• If you have two or more marriages in your hand, then your bet should not exceed the sum of the face values of the marriages.

Trick

A trick is a stack of cards you have beaten. The value of which is summed up and brings a specific number of points at the end of the match. The match begins with the participant who won the auction, or the one who received the trick. In each round, players throw 1 card onto the table.

On the lying card, participants need to throw one of their own, taking into account the suit of the one that is already played. If there is no such card in your hand, then you need to use a trump. If it is not declared in this match, then the player throws any other card.

Trick-Taking Rules:

• The participant who has the highest card of the same suit takes the trick. But if the trick involved a trump card, then the participant who played the trump card takes the trick.
• If more than one trump card is played, the trick is given to the player with the highest trump.

Trump

In this game, the trump suit is determined by the participants themselves. If someone has marriages in their hand, they can propose to make a certain suit trump. Other players have the right to agree, refuse, or suggest their own version.

Buy-in

The buy-in is the remaining cards during the deal. At the beginning of each game, 10 cards are dealt to each player if two people are playing. If three people are playing, then 7 cards are dealt. The remaining cards go to the buy-in. In the case of two players, two buy-ins of 2 cards each are made.

Redeal

Cards can be redealt in the case of:

• The hand value is less than or equal to thirteen points.
• When one player has 3 nines or 4 jacks in their hand.
• If a participant won the auction, but the buy-in is less than 5 points or contains three copies of a jack or 2 nines.

Combinations

There are only two combinations in Thousand, which can be hard to collect, but they bring a significant number of points. Thanks to these combinations, you will reach the coveted 1000 points much faster and win.

Trump Marriage

As we wrote above, a marriage is a pair of queen and king of the same suit in a player’s hand. This duo of cards can be collected during the deal or in trading. The Trump Marriage is considered one of the most valuable card combinations, as it brings a significant advantage to the player when counting points.

If you managed to collect this pair, you can declare them trump. It’s worth remembering that the Trump Marriage is declared for one match; in the next game, it must be appointed anew. If you managed to collect the same pair but of a different suit, you can change the trump. Both trump marriages are considered when counting points.

When changing the trump marriage, the previous one loses its power and becomes regular cards.

Ace Marriage

The Ace Marriage is an extremely rare combination in Thousand, consisting of 4 aces of different suits. To declare the collection of this combination, the player needs to take a trick without using an ace. After you have taken the trick, you can start the round with an ace and announce the Ace Marriage.

For this combination, you are awarded 200 points. In the game “golden game,” the number of points for this combination is not doubled.

Game Phases

As in any tactical-intellectual game, Thousand has several stages, each of which is assigned based on the number of points scored by players.

Bolt

Bolt is a penalty for a player who fails to take any tricks in a single game. If they receive three penalties, 120 points are deducted from their score.

Rosette

Rosette – when a player collects 220 points, they form the Rosette combination. Its name comes from the classic way of electrical power transmission called a rosette, having a potential of 220 volts.

Barrel

Barrel refers to a player accumulating 880 points in Thousand. Players who have reached a barrel are just one game away from winning, hence are often called “sitting on a barrel.”

The player needs to win the auction and score 120 points for victory. If they fail to do so within three games, they fall off the barrel, and 120 points are deducted. If another participant reaches the barrel, the first one sitting on it falls off and gets a penalty of 120 points.

During a game, only one player can be on the barrel. If two players simultaneously collect a barrel, neither gets on it, and both lose 120 points.

Dump Truck

If a player scores 555 points, they are completely reset, and the player returns to the starting number of points (zero). This rule got its name because the player themselves dumps and loses all their points.

Scoring Points

Scoring occurs at the end of each game. The sum must be a multiple of five, sometimes requiring rounding. For example, if a player scores 12 points, 12 is closer to 10, so 12 = 10 points. If a player scores 13, it is closer to 15, so 13 = 15 points.

Points are calculated according to the card values. The total score also includes the value of marriages held by the game participant.

It’s important to remember that during trading, the initial number of points, before rounding, is considered!

Golden Game

Golden Game is a version of the classic game where the scored points are doubled after the second or third game. Changes in the game during the Golden Game:

1. In the first auction, you must bid on 120 points. If no one’s bet plays out, all accumulated points are reset.
2. Penalties received in the game are doubled. (Bolt, fell off the barrel)
3. Points for the Ace Marriage remain unchanged, while points for other marriages are doubled.

How to Learn to Play Thousand

Learning to play Thousand is no more difficult than learning any other card game. It requires playing many games, feeling the flow of the game, and learning to accurately assess the strength and tactics of opponents.

1. Thoroughly study the rules and all the terminology of the game. Understanding the basics and nuances of the rules will make you more confident at the card table and help make the best decisions.
2. Lots of practice. By installing an app on your mobile phone or registering on thematic websites, you can not only enjoy your time but also hone your skill in this wonderful game.
3. Do not gamble if you are not confident in your skill. Losing even a small amount will only bring negative emotions, and you probably won’t want to return to this card game.

The material was updated (21 March 2024) by the experts of the Bonuski.com