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| Haggis |
The successful strategies for a game change when playing against one opponent to playing against several opponents. When facing a single opponent you compete with one person to make a bet; however, a larger Haggis makes it difficult to guess what cards your opponent holds. While behind in the score, you must act first. Learning how to play this position will prove essential to winning any game of Haggis. In order to win the deal, what should you do first in order to build a successful strategy?
Organize Your Hand
When you pick up your fourteen cards separate out the point cards right away. This method of organizing informs you on what, if any, bombs you can make as well as your opponent’s potential for making bombs. Since each player receives three wild cards, I find breaking up a hand to form a bomb usually pays off. You can fill in the sets and sequences you lose by forming combinations with the Jack, Queen, and or King. Out of hand bombs really mess up an opponent’s ability to plan for the future, because it will take away the lead on a trick that your opponent normally would consider a win. After reviewing your bomb potential, try to build sequences over small sets. Small sets usually do not hold up because of the wild cards available to your opponent. Sometimes your hand will force you to play small sets. Try to make the best of it. Use your wild cards either to boost these combinations into larger sets (four or five of a kind) or to build a higher valued three of a kind to back up a lower value play.
Using Your Wild Cards
When organizing your hand you should start factoring in how the wild cards will make certain combinations. You want to think many tricks or plays ahead before you make your first move. Planning out which plays might need wild cards can inform you whether or not you can afford to bomb a trick with your face cards. Do not avoid pairing all your wild cards with combinations in your hand, essentially forfeiting a face card bomb. Until you use your second wild card, your opponent will not know your plan; therefore, he must factor in the possibility of you bombing one of his or her plays. The threat of a wild card bomb provides a lot of power and forces players to play a different way. With your hand planned out you just need to answer one question.
What Should You Play First?
What combinations you can form will give you an idea of what cards your opponent holds. Try not to rely too much on this assumption because with an eight card Haggis a considerable amount of imperfect information still exists. A safe play includes leading something you can back up. For example, you play a three card run of 4-5-6 because you also hold 8-9-10. Starting a trick you can back up or starting off with a strong combination in of itself (example: five of a kind) really makes it difficult for your opponent to take the lead or interact. If you can keep this pace you should consider betting. Unless you feel confident you can win the lead back, avoid a first play of a single card or pair. Your opponent might consider betting with a hand he or she normally would not bet with because you provided an easy outlet to dump bad combinations. Sometimes leading a single card makes sense because you want to save your bigger combinations for later. This gives your opponent a false sense of how soon you will go out. I recommend leading single card or weak pair only when you can back it up with tens or a king.
Today’s Challenge
You lead this hand with the following fourteen cards.
Green: 4, 5, 6, 7
Brown: 7, 9, 10
Red: 2, 3, 4, 5
Orange: 5, 8, 9
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| Today's Challenge Hand 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10 |
What combinations do you assume you will play during the course of the game? Would you bet with this hand? What score would change your decision to bet? What combination would you lead with? What play do you hopefully save to go out on?
Let us know what you think.
Additional Information
For more information about Haggis check the product page on BoardGameGeek.com.
Interested in purchasing a copy of Haggis? Try the following links.
Amazon: Haggis
If you live in the tri-state area, consider stopping by AU to pick up a copy and play with the staff. Most of them make up my play test group. We play usually every Monday.
I probably wouldn't bet; if I did, it would be a Little Bet - just don't feel confident in being able to keep control of the hand. I'd set the rainbow bomb aside: 3R-5O-7G-9B (I call the Brown suit Yellow). I'd lead with the 2R expecting to play my 7B as a follow up. If I get the chance to play the 10B, I would and hopefully the opponent would pass - if they play a face card, I bomb to keep the lead. That leaves me with 4R-4G-5R-5G-6G-8O-9O plus all 3 face cards. I would probably play the 4R-4G-5R-5G, I'd want to play 44-55-66 but I need wilds for a bomb if I'm going to go out first. I'd expect my opponent to beat that lead with a higher combo of the same type or a bomb - in any case, I'm hoping he has one or fewer wilds left after his play. When able, I'd take back the lead with a bomb, then play 8O-9O-X, where X is a wild card. If that doesn't get topped, I go out with the 6; otherwise, I'm probably stranded.....
ReplyDeleteHm. Looking back, I guess I'd play the 6 rather than the 7 during the first trick so that I'd be left holding the 7B at the end of the hand rather than the 6G.
ReplyDeleteI think I will try to play 4 straighs (or 3 finishing by 8899), begining by 2345Red
ReplyDeletePlaying straights is very embarrassing for the opponent, and here, 3 straights are very interesting
I'd lead with 5O, maintain the integrity of my rainbow bomb, let the opponent take control. First instincts would be to work straights, after regaining control with a wild card bomb. I wouldn't bet this hand, because straights tend to get topped easily.
ReplyDelete