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Black Kos, Week In Review [1]

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Date: 2023-04-07  

SPADES, THE MOST POPULAR CARD GAME FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS

BY DOPPER0189, BLACK KOS MANAGING EDITOR

A staple of social gatherings the world over, the card game Spades is a favorite for many because of the strategy involved in mastering the game. But what’s also very interesting about Spades, is how it has become especially popular in the Black community. In fact no other card game has as central a role in African-American culture as Spades. While the root causes of this popularity may be difficult to ever fully uncover, a brief review of the game’s origins and rules may provide some insights.

Spades was created in the United States sometime in the 1930’s. This card game became popular right before World War II in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. The game of Spades quickly spread throughout the rest of Midwest, and then in both the South and North East especially in African-American communities. Spades became the card game of choice for black troops killing time stationed abroad in World War II in between battles. Once it took hold there it became a national Black American pastime, as returning Black GI’s quickly shared their popular pastime throughout black communities in the US.

Until relatively recently the game of Spades was little known outside the USA; except of course in a few places where American troops were stationed. For example in parts of Germany near American military bases Spades became a popular game as American troops stationed their taught the game to the local German inhabitants. However, since the mid 1990's Spades has become popular internationally because of its easy availability in on-line card rooms on the Internet.

A group of people playing spades

Growing up in a Caribbean family and community my first game of choice was dominoes. When I went to college in the Midwest I quickly learned the centrality of Spades at primarily African-American gathering. As my good friends from Detroit put it 1) Music 2) Food 3) Drink 4) Spades 5) More Food (in that order) are the essential ingredients at any African-American party. I recently reminisced about this because of a popular meme that went viral last month. I was once the college kid on the receiving end of this meme.

x Why Black people never want to teach you how to play spades. pic.twitter.com/ENPeKCM4mN — Kevín (@KevOnStage) July 7, 2018

So what is the games of Spades? Spades, along with Bridge and Hearts, is derived from the English game “Whist”, which became popular in the 18th century. Whist was a game of the serving class, rarely played by higher class men and women. It was instead a game played by hunting men and squires killing time. “Bid Whist” is a slightly different version played more in the United States even now, usually by older generations of blacks (who just usually consider it a version of Spades).

The main difference between the three card games is the trump suit. In Bridge the trump suite which is chosen. In Spades suite is of course spades. In Hearts the trump suite is hearts and the Queen of spades. Many proponents of Hearts have historically (an recently online) have questioned why the game of hearts hasn’t gained fans in Black communities because of the importance of the Single Black Queen. Critics argue, though, that the Black King’s low value in the game of Hearts is a plausible reason.

Spades is a plain-trick game in which spades are always the trump cards. It is most often played as a partnership game by four players, but there are also versions for three, two or six players.

As a trick-taking game (which explains some of the appeal), the object is to accurately bid the number of “tricks” or “books” a team possesses, then obtain that amount while simultaneously attempting to thwart the other team from doing the same. Now from there, the rules can change greatly by region, city, HBCU attended (or as a once learned during a game the prison in which one was incarcerated). The minor variations in rules, however, are not the reason Spades is so popular. The reason is the social aspect.

A game usually requires at least four people. Usually more are present to also play after, and/or observe your hand and give unwanted suggestions on how *you* should play. Often food, drinks and music are present, and many will be present just to socialize and talk loudly. And nothing is more important to a Spades game than a loud round of “trash” talking.

Arguing over a renege, threatening to “go to Boston”, warning opponents against over or underbidding, slapping cards down on the table or one’s forehead with intense force, all necessary parts of a Spades game.

Spades for Four Players Players and Cards The four players are in fixed partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each other. Deal and play are clockwise. A standard pack of 52 cards is used. The cards, in each suit, rank from highest to lowest: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. The Deal The first dealer is chosen at random, and the turn to deal rotates clockwise. The cards are shuffled and then dealt singly, in clockwise order beginning with the player on dealer's left, until all 52 cards have been dealt and everyone has 13. The Bidding In Spades, all four players bid a number of tricks. Each team adds together the bids of the two partners, and the total is the number of tricks that team must try to win in order to get a positive score. The bidding begins with the player to dealer's left and continues clockwise around the table. Everyone must bid a number, and in theory any number from 0 to 13 is allowed. Unlike other games with bidding, there is no requirement for each bid to be higher than the last one, and players are not allowed to pass. There is no second round of bidding - bids once made cannot be altered. Example: South deals; West bids 3; North bids 1; East bids 4; South bids 4. The objective of North and South is to win at least 5 ticks (4+1), East and West try to win at least 7 (4+3). A bid of 0 tricks is known as Nil. This is a declaration that that the player who bid Nil will not win any tricks during the play. There is an extra bonus for this if it succeeds and a penalty if it fails. The partnership also has the objective of winning the number of tricks bid by the Nil's partner. It is not possible to bid no tricks without bidding a Nil. If you don't want to go for the Nil bonus or penalty you must bid at least 1. Some players allow a bid of Blind nil. This is a nil bid declared before a player looks at his cards. After everyone has bid and before the first lead, the bidder may exchange two cards with partner - the bidder discards two cards face down; partner picks them up and gives back two cards face-down in return. It is usually agreed that Blind Nil may only be bid by a player whose side is losing by at least 100 points. The Play of the Hand The player to dealer's left leads any card except a spade to the first trick. Each player, in turn, clockwise, must follow suit if able; if unable to follow suit, the player may play any card. A trick containing a spade is won by the highest spade played; if no spade is played, the trick is won by the highest card of the suit led. The winner of each trick leads to the next. Spades may not be led until either some player has played a spade (on the lead of another suit, of course), or

the leader has nothing but spades left in hand. Playing the first spade is known as "breaking" spades. Scoring A side that takes at least as many tricks as its bid calls for receives a score equal to 10 times its bid. Additional tricks (overtricks) are worth an extra one point each. Sandbagging rule: Overtricks are colloquially known as bags. A side which (over several deals) accumulates ten or more bags has 100 points deducted from its score. Any bags beyond ten are carried over to the next cycle of ten overtricks - that is if they reached twenty overtricks they would lose another 100 points and so on. (Note: it is not necessary to keep track of overtricks separately as the cumulative number of overtricks taken appears as the final digit of the team's score, if positive).

Example: Suppose a team whose score is 337 bids 5 tricks. If they win 7 tricks they score 52, taking their score to 389. If they win 8 tricks they score 53, but lose 100 because they now have 10 bags, and their score becomes 290 (337 + 53 - 100). If they win 9 tricks they score 54 and lose 100, bringing their score to 291. If a side does not make its bid, they lose 10 points for each trick they bid. If a bid of nil is successful, the nil bidder's side receives 100 points. This is in addition to the score won (or lost) by the partner of the nil bidder for tricks made. If a bid of nil fails - that is, the bidder takes at least one trick - the bidder's side loses 100 points, but still receives any amount scored for the partner's bid. The usual rule is that when a nil fails, the tricks won by the nil bidder do not count towards making the partner's bid, but do count as bags for the team. A bid of blind nil scores twice as much as an ordinary nil - it wins 200 points if successful and loses 200 points if it fails. The side which reaches 500 points first wins the game. If both sides reach 500 points in the same deal, the side with the higher score wins.

The Unofficial Rules Know The Rules – No one can give a thorough explanation of the rules. Many online Spade forums will state that winning at Spades is like making love–you should know the basics but every time will be different depending on whom you’re making love with. The one steadfast commandment in Spades is that the house makes the rules. To be a consistent player you must be flexible enough to handle the infinite number of variations. The key to a Spades game is knowing the rules before you play the game. If they are playing with jokers, ask them to show you each one. In some houses they will write on the card which one is which. If they use the deuce of diamonds and/or deuce of spades as a trump card, make sure you find out which is higher. You can’t win if you don’t know the rules, and losing is no fun. Remember, Spades is not about fun, it is about winning. If you want to have fun, play Uno. Know The Lingo – Spades comes with a particularly interesting set of Jargon that you need to know if you want to succeed: Joker, Joker, Deuce.. . – This designates the order of the most important cards. King High, no Jokers is the truest form of the game usually only played by older Black men who are ready to school you (trust me on this). If you hear this, you should know that these people aren’t messing around. If your Spades game is not strong don’t even bother sitting down to play king high, because not only is your card-playing reputation at stake, but so is your reputation. If you find a group who plays with Jokers, they are still pretty serious. People who play Joker-Joker-Ace don’t have time for your BS and if you slip up, you could possibly be ostracized for life. Make-em, Take-em – This is not just a Spades rule, it is a principle of life. If you win a book, it is your responsibility to rack it. Spades is life. If you sit there contemplating or hesitating, someone will take your crap, and just like life, possession is 9/10ths of the law. You must be on point at all times and during all phases of the game. All you have in this world is your books and your partner. If someone touches your books, you have the right to do to them what you will (usually call them everything but a child of God) Dime or Boston – If you hear either of these words it means you need to concentrate on that particular hand like you’re taking the S.A.T. to be admitted into heaven. If you or your partner bids a dime, you are about to humiliate your opponent. Likewise, having someone bid a dime or “run a Boston” on you is not only a sure loss, but the equivalent of losing your adulthood. Set – The most disappointing thing in Spades… and life. Getting “set” means you bid too much, reached too high and failed. If you are afraid of getting set, you shouldn’t partake in this sport (yes, if golf, bowling and poker are, then Spades is also a sport. Just like life, however, getting set is not the end of the world. You just have to fight back. Know Your Partner – I can’t emphasize this enough. Selecting a partner in Spades should be (almost) taken as seriously as choosing a life partner. Taking a partner is akin to putting another person’s life and Spades reputation in your hands and should not be taken lightly. You will eventually have to learn the intricacies of eye contact, non-verbal cues and even a little light mind-reading. Never take a random partner without watching them play at least one hand, and avoid jumping from partner to partner. Never Trust Anyone – A seasoned player holds the cards in such a way that doesn’t look paranoid, but ensures that no one else can see his hand. Watch the dealer, too because they might stack the cards, although a successful case of card-stacking has never been verified. Make sure you cut the cards an odd number of times. Assume all your opponents are out to get you if given the chance. They want to stop you from “setting them.” Leave Your Emotions at the Door – This is not a pastime for the sensitive, so if you are prone to having your feelings hurt, you should play jacks or double-dutch. If you lose, you will be instructed to “get yo ass up.” If you win it is only because you are a “lucky mofo.” Part of the beauty of Spades is the vitriolic talking. Know How To Bid – Like life, Spades is not about which cards you get, it is about knowing what to do with the cards you are dealt. Bidding is the key to the game of Spades , and perhaps the biggest obstacle in bidding is the “possible.” How one bids the “possible” says everything about their character, self-esteem and interpersonal relationships. If you have three books, your partner has one and-a-possible, and you bid four, I assume you were bullied in grade school and never got over it. Never, Ever Renege – Like never, never renege. The love of God and all the prayers of the righteous can’t save you from the scorn that accompanies reneging. If you or your partner happens to renege, your only recourse is to rack the book and put it in the middle of the other books you’ve won before anyone notices it. If someone does notice it, tell them the rules say they must pick out the exact book, then tell them they are wrong–even if they are right. Never admit to a renege. There are 3 keys to winning a renege argument: Be loud – you have to get louder and more belligerent than the accuser. Don’t let them finish their sentences. Be mad – You have to be madder than they are. Act appalled at the suggestion of the possibility that you reneged. Throw all the cards in the middle of the table. Accuse them of cheating, too. Calm down – Offer to replay the hand. When the game is over, apologize for being upset, and explain that you can get carried away. Don’t say you were wrong, though–even if you are asked about it 20 years later by your priest during your deathbed confession. Never admit to a renege. It’s almost the end of the summer, so I hope everyone enjoyed a fun look at a key piece of Black American culture. With the Labor Day long weekend coming up, I’m sure a lot of Spades and trash talking will be served up shortly in cook outs and family get togethers across America. Buy a pack of cards, pull up a chair and have a good time.

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News round up by dopper0189, Black Kos Managing Editor

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Two black lawmakers are expelled while their white colleague wasn’t. Associated Press: Tennessee House expels 2 Democrats over gun control protest

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In an extraordinary act of political retaliation, Tennessee Republicans on Thursday expelled two Democratic lawmakers from the state Legislature for their role in a protest calling for more gun control in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Nashville. A third Democrat was narrowly spared by a one-vote margin.

The split votes drew accusations of racism, with lawmakers ousting Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, who are both Black, while Rep. Gloria Johnson, who is white, survived the vote on her expulsion. Republican leadership denied that race was a factor, however.

The visitors’ gallery exploded in screams and boos following the final vote. After sitting quietly for hours and hushing anyone who cried out during the proceedings, people broke into chants of “Shame!” and “Fascists!”

Banishment is a move the chamber has used only a handful times since the Civil War. Most state legislatures have the power to expel members, but it is generally reserved as a punishment for lawmakers accused of serious misconduct, not used as a weapon against political opponents.

x YouTube Video

. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Corruption in it’s purest form. Propublica: Clarence Thomas and the Billionaire ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IN LATE JUNE 2019, right after the U.S. Supreme Court released its final opinion of the term, Justice Clarence Thomas boarded a large private jet headed to Indonesia. He and his wife were going on vacation: nine days of island-hopping in a volcanic archipelago on a superyacht staffed by a coterie of attendants and a private chef. If Thomas had chartered the plane and the 162-foot yacht himself, the total cost of the trip could have exceeded $500,000. Fortunately for him, that wasn’t necessary: He was on vacation with real estate magnate and Republican megadonor Harlan Crow, who owned the jet — and the yacht, too. For more than two decades, Thomas has accepted luxury trips virtually every year from the Dallas businessman without disclosing them, documents and interviews show. A public servant who has a salary of $285,000, he has vacationed on Crow’s superyacht around the globe. He flies on Crow’s Bombardier Global 5000 jet. He has gone with Crow to the Bohemian Grove, the exclusive California all-male retreat, and to Crow’s sprawling ranch in East Texas. And Thomas typically spends about a week every summer at Crow’s private resort in the Adirondacks. The extent and frequency of Crow’s apparent gifts to Thomas have no known precedent in the modern history of the U.S. Supreme Court. These trips appeared nowhere on Thomas’ financial disclosures. His failure to report the flights appears to violate a law passed after Watergate that requires justices, judges, members of Congress and federal officials to disclose most gifts, two ethics law experts said. He also should have disclosed his trips on the yacht, these experts said.

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A MacArthur Foundation analysis revealed that FROM 2018-2021, Black adults in Ada County, Idaho, were detained and booked3.5 times more frequently than white residents, despite making up less than 1.6% of the population. Idaho Statesman: Black people are a small minority in Ada County. They are arrested 3.5 times more often

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Black residents in Ada County are over three times more likely to get arrested than their white neighbors, according to recent police data from the county.

The research was conducted by the MacArthur Foundation as part of the Ada County Sheriff’s Office participation in the foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge, which has a goal of reducing jail and prison populations, and eliminating racial and ethnic disparities. The sheriff’s office initially applied for the grant in 2015.

The analysis, published last year, showed that about 75% of people arrested and jailed in Ada County were white. More than 80% of the county is white, according to the U.S. Census.

But the data also showed that a much higher portion of the county’s Black population was arrested: Black adults in Ada County were arrested and booked into jail at 3.5 times the rate of white residents between 2018 and 2021. On Friday, 4.9% of inmates at the Ada County Jail were Black.

Black people make up just 1.6% of the county’s population.

Put another way, for every 1,000 white adults, six were booked into jail after an arrest, the study found. For every 1,000 Black adults, 21 were booked after an arrest. For certain crimes, the arrests become even more disproportionate.

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Romelu Lukaku, who is Black, has been subjected to racist chants on numerous occasions during his two stints at Inter. The Grio: Soccer star’s reps enraged by racist chants from fans

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Romelu Lukaku’s management company reacted with outrage after the Inter Milan forward was shown a second yellow card and then sent off for a gesture toward Juventus fans who directed racist chants at him.

The incident occurred after Lukaku converted a penalty in stoppage time to earn Inter a 1-1 draw in the Italian Cup semifinals on Tuesday.

Lukaku held his finger to his lips as if to silence the crowd after scoring.

Lukaku’s gesture enraged the opposing team and the game ended in a scuffle between the two squads, with Juventus winger Juan Cuadrado and Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic also sent off.

“Tonight’s racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted,” Roc Nation Sports International president Michael Yormark said. “Before, during, and after the penalty, he was subjected to hostile and disgusting racist abuse. Romelu celebrated in the same manner he has previously celebrated goals.

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The country has been in turmoil since a coup led by the country’s top general overthrew a Western-backed government in 2021. The Grio: Pro-democracy protesters rally in Sudan as army deal stalls

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Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Sudan’s capital Thursday, as talks with the country’s army rulers to bring in a civilian government hit a roadblock.

Security forces met the demonstrations in Khartoum with tear gas and stun grenades, protester Waleed Adam told The Associated Press. No injuries were immediately reported.

Protesters have rejected any settlement involving Sudan’s military leaders following the 2021

The demonstrations were led by a pro-democracy network, the Resistance Committees, and set off from southern Khartoum toward its government district.

The renewal of street protests comes a day after the scheduled Thursday inking of a final settlement between the military and pro-democracy forces was postponed for the second time. No new date for the signing was given.

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