Card sharks

I've always enjoyed playing cards and learning new games. I'm not saying I'm any good at it. I just like to play -- and I can shuffle pretty good.

When I was growing up we played a lot of rummy, hearts, variations of poker (including the Tripoly game), UNO, a game we called "Peanuts" and one we called "500" (which was an "adult" game because it had trump!). I learned euchre in college and we played that a ton. Thanks to computers, I've learned a bit about Texas Hold 'em, but I'm not so obsessed with it that I'd watch it on TV or anything.

I also remember playing cribbage with my dad. I don't recall if I ever beat him. My hubby is a huge cribbage fan and I do recall clearly -- no, I have never beat him. In fact, 4 out of 5 times I get skunked! I just don't have a knack for it.

Carter likes playing Slap Jack and War with me. At least I found an opponent of equal skill!

Last fall, my sister Rayna introduced us to "3 to 13" -- a new card game she learned down in Texas. I taught it to Jim and Carter over the holidays and it has become our new family game. It's not really a hard game -- you just have to pay attention.

The rules (in case you want to play): You start by getting 3 cards and the 3's are wild (Jokers are always wild). To go out, you have to get 3 of a kind or a run of 3 (all in the same suit). When someone goes out, the other players get one more chance to go out. They add up whatever cards they are left holding (face value for 9 and under; 10 points for face cards; 15 points for aces). Then we move to 4's -- 4 cards, 4's are wild, you need 4 of a kind or run of 4, and so on. From 4 on up, after someone has gone out, we are allowed on our last turn to lay down 3 of a kind or a run of 3 just to get rid of some cards. It really gets interesting (and challenging) by the time we get to 13 (kings are wild) and you have to figure out how many runs you need to equal 13 (3 runs of 3 and 1 of 4).

This is one game we've all won at least once. Daddy usually keeps score. Instead of just writing D, M and C on the pad for Daddy, Mommy and Carter, he is always D but mine and Carter's always change to initials like BT (Big Talker) or SL (Stinkin' Lucky) or just plain T if we finished third (or "turd") the game before. We can't have a game in my family without some teasing going on!

I'm OK with that. It's fun to sit at the table a few times a week and do something besides eat or homework. Carter has found it's a good stall tactic, too. "I can't go to bed. We're not at 13 yet." That doesn't work. The other night it was bedtime so I quit at the queens (12's). We actually just finished up the next night with one hand (I won, by the way. But who's counting?)