The game of Two-Handed Don

**John Turner** · 18-12-2006, 01:37

'Don' is a great card game and I've only ever seen it played outside the Bn ONCE - during an exercise from Berlin with some tankies - who were all WELSH.

But it seemed that whilst adhering to the same rules they played it 'differently' - 'signals' we would recognise from partners, they would not - they learned a lot that night!

Nobody could beat me and Bobby Kinsey!!! (and if they looked like they could we'd out-drink them, then hammer them)

No matter where we were - back of a 432 or after a mess dinner - it was always popular - great combination of luck, skill, communication and deception.

Anyway - I digress - what I am after is the rules and method of play for TWO - HANDED Don - (no partner - two player) Keith May taught it me once and I've forgotten it.

Anyone still playing this?

**Braz** · 18-12-2006, 12:42

Hi there,
Geoff Brazier here ex RRW, we used to play quite a bit of Don and Fat in the Cpls Mess in my time with the Bn. Fat we used to deal the whole pack between 4 players, your partner would pitch Trumps, and the 9 of the trump suit was worth 18 points, the 5 of tumps was worth 10 points, all other 9s were worth 9 points, and 5s were 5 points. In Don I think you dealt 9 each with the same principal except 9 and 5 of trumps were worth 18 and 9 points each, all other 5s counted but I don't think the other 9s do, but I did play more Fat than Don. The face cards were 4 for the Ace of trumps, 3 for the King, 2 for the Queen and 1 for the Jack, then you's count up at the end for the 8 points. That's roughly the idea. All the best Braz.

**John Turner** · 18-12-2006, 19:24

Thanks Braz - same principle but different scoring - nine of trump suit was worth 9 and the five was worth ten.

But it's the TWO PLAYER game I have forgotten. Maybe Keith May invented it!

Is he a forum member?

**Braz** · 18-12-2006, 22:11

Keith May is a forum member, if you look at the members list he's registered under K for Keith instead of M for May. There seems to be a few who have done that. I'm sure that Keith was in JSC Coy, Crickhowell with Danny Melia and myself. Tall bloke witha gap in his front teeth.