Card Games

** See CASINO for poker machine games.


-----Blackjack

[ACBJ]
Atlantic City Blackjack 1.0 (Goldfayn, Oleg; $25) is a game of casino
blackjack for Windows 3.1. Up to seven gamblers can participate, and the
computer will auto-play any unused hands. You can even customize the playing
strategy of the computerized hands. Other features include on-screen advice,
card counting, three dealing speeds, and more. VGA is required.

[BJWIN]
Blackjack for Windows 2.1 (John Washburn; $40) is a casino-style card game. It
allows you to set the size of the shoe, the dealer play, the player and house
rules, and more.

[CASINO21]
Casino BlackJack for Windows 2.1s (Pyramid Software Development; $10) lets you
play the game of blackjack against the computer. You can play from one to four
decks, and start out with up to $100,000 to bet with. The game allows multiple
splits and doubling down, and lets you customize the rules. Strategic hints
are displayed, as well as an optional card-counting chart. This is an
entertaining game with nice graphics. A 386SX or higher is recommended.

[ULTIMA21]
Ultima 21 Deluxe for Windows 1.7 (Bitwise Software International, reg. fee:
$40) allows you to play blackjack in one of four different casinos with
computerized or human players. You can control the card count, change dealers,
keep statistics, and change any or all of the casino rules.

[VEGAS]
Vegas 1.0 (DeskSoft; $39) is a blackjack game for Windows. It includes
VBCARDS.DLL which is required by other shareware card games.

[WINJACK]
WinJack 2.2 (Linddicoet, Brett; $12-$19) is a game of Blackjack for Windows.
You can double down, split, buy insurance, and more. The program is fast, with
well-done graphics and animation. This is an excellent simulation, with many
playing options available. Requires BWCC.DLL from the RUNTIMES directory of
the PsL CD.

[WINBJ]
WinBJ (Skylight Software; $20) is an advanced casino blackjack game for
Windows. Features include animated dealing, card counting help, win/loss
statistics, a tutor, and much more. You can double down, split, buy insurance,
and surrender. The tutor can also automatically pop up to offer help from
several different playing strategies.


-----Other

[BRIDGEWN]
Bridge For Windows (Full Circle Software; $53) is a simple bridge game for
novices. It deals random hands, but picks the best for you and the second best
hand for your partner, so you don't ever get to defend. You always bid first,
which limits the type of bidding you do. The bidding and play of the game are
pretty weak. The user interface is cluttered, very slow, poorly designed, and
buggy. To add insult to injury, the $49 (plus $4 shipping) registration fee is
much higher than retail bridge games (available from PsL) like Omar Sharif
($39) and Bridge 7 ($35), both of which are much more sophisticated. So why
are we adding this program? Well, for one thing, despite its shortcomings, it
should be enjoyable for novices, and it is the only shareware bridge game for
Windows. (A shareware bridge game for DOS is in the library, but is only
marginally better.) In addition, we have seen this program raved about in
other shareware catalogs which charge you for TWO disks, the second of which
just has VBRUN100 on it.

[CRIBWIN]
Cribbage for Windows 1.1 (RR Enterprises; $20) is the card game Cribbage.
Features include having the computer play a hard or easy game, and the Fair or
Cheat mode, in which you can see the computer's cards. You have to restart the
program after every game.

[CSBT]
CardShark Bridge Tutor Level I (Ford, Nelson ASP; $25) assumes you know
absolutely nothing about bridge and teaches you everything you need to know to
bid and play a good, sound game. It is also a good review course for
experienced players. This is an interactive tutorial which displays deals,
asks frequent questions for reinforcement, and has review quizzes. Level I
consists of one course on Play and four on Bidding: (1) Intro to Bridge &
Opening Bids, (2) Responding to Opening Bids, (3) Rebids by Opener, (4)
Competitive Bidding. The course on Play covers basic offense and defensive
play. Advanced course files are commercially available covering intermediate
and advanced bidding and play, conventions, specific bidding systems, etc.

[CSHEARTS]
CardShark Hearts 4.07 (Ford, Nelson ASP; $29) lets you play Hearts against
three computer hands. Features include an AutoPlay/Hint mode, Show All Hands,
automatic cash-in when one hand has all high cards remaining or when all
points are in, animated players with digitized sounds, user selectable playing
styles and strengths, and the ability to change your mind after selecting a
card but before playing it. Other features include a "Duplicate" mode, which
lets the computer replay your hand against the other computerized players, a
Ten/Jack of Diamonds = -10 option, and many other rules options. This is one
Hearts game you will have a tough time beating. A mouse is required.

[ECNEUQ]
Ecneuqes 1.1 (Smith, Matthew L.; $10) is an unusual combination board/card
game. The object of the game is to place chips on the playing board matching
the corresponding card played from your hand. The first player with two rows
of five chips wins the game. Features include game save/recall, multimedia
sound support, two levels of play difficulty, and more. Requires VBRUN300.

[TABLNET]
Tablenette 1.0 (Sycomp Limited; $0) is an interesting card game you play
against the computer. Requires VBRUN.