Poker Face

 When I'm in France there are times when I feel like I need to represent the mid-west.  First off no one over here knows what that means so I end up just saying 'near Chicago' but I add 'it's the real USA'.  Why do you think that TV shows about 'Americain life' take place in Indiana.  The middle, parks and rec, a Christmas story, etc.  So many Americans come over here from California or New York or Colorado that I feel like I have to share a different side of American culture and I find that the French, although sometimes horrified, enjoy learning about it.  It takes a local who has spent her time enjoying if not braving blistering cold winters back home , cough and not feeling guilty about sitting this one out -19F as the high are you kidding me?, in order to truly understand one key of Mid-western culture, Euchre.  

Now I know many a mid-westerner who does not know or like to play the pride and joy of the Midwest that is euchre but all will agree that if you play euchre you are a mid-westerner hands down.  Im guessing it evolved from cold winters with nothing to do but it is an integral part of family life especially in northern Indiana.  So what else would a euchre playing Midwesterner be impressed by but another trick playing mind bending card game called Belote.  

Belote is the French Euchre and oh yeah they take it seriously.  Have you ever heard someone groan when they are partnered in euchre with someone who is no good, take that x2 if you don't know how to play Belote (or other French sports like pétanque while we're at it).  So although very different from euchre it follows the same principles.  You a play with a teammate, you go around the table calling trump, and the basic principles of 'pulling' trump cards and counting to see what your partner has in his hand are the same. 

The differences:

The main difference is that each card is assigned a point value and the points change wether or not they are trump.  Each hand is played hoping that the opposing team will lay down high point cards and if you have to lose a hand you will subsequently lay down a low scoring card.  Each hand won is counted for the team.  

The cards are in French so=

  King-> Roi (K-R)

  Queen-> Dame (Q-D)

  Jack-> Valet (J-V)

The deck is also not shuffled but very seriously cut and cards are passed out by 3 then 2 to each player.  To change up the game (aka your cards aren't good) a team can choose to switch the order.

Calling suit to pass don't use your knuckles on the table like euchre but call out 'une' and for the second pass 'deux', after two passes you redeal.  

French card playing vocab:

Club- le trefle 

Spade- le pique 

Diamond- Les carreaux 

Heart- le coeur 

Trump- atout 

Hand/deal- pli

Deck- le paquet 

Suit- Les couleurs

Cards- les cartes 

To deal- distribuer 

To trump it- être coupé 

Your turn- c'est a toi 

I'm getting on to it, except for counting all the points at the end I leave that to the experts, but I'm impressed at the card sharks in this area.  One friend said that this game is taken super seriously and people can get disqualified for speaking, so sometimes there are large rooms full of super serious silent Belote players going at it.  

They're easy on me and always write out the point system so I can keep track of the differences in trump ( Jack-9-Ace-10-King *i think*) whereas regular is (Ace-10-King-Queen-Jack) and yes those are bowls not mugs of tea (French style)