Subeta Mekuri [すべためくり] is a Bakappana variant for three players, with simple rules but unique card points. It is attested to be played in the Chūkyō region of Japan.
The name refers to the fact that Chaff cards (known as Junk [すべた, subeta] cards in Mekurifuda decks) are very valuable in the game.
The game may have been originally played using a Mekurifuda deck instead of Hanafuda.
It is closely related to another game, Sanuki Mekuri.
¶ Card Values
The card values are unique in that they are based on their month number, as well as their card type.
For the purposes of these rules, the following are considered:
- There are only two Brights: The Rain Man (worth 15 points), and the Phoenix (worth 9 points). Other Brights are considered as Animals.
- Animals that are worth their month value are called Special Animals.
They are the Boar (worth 7 points), the Full Moon (worth 8 points), and the Sake Cup (worth 9 points). - Other Animals (except the Geese) are worth 5 points each are called Normal Animals.
- Ribbons are worth 1 point each.
The Geese and the Yellow Paulownia Chaff also belong to this Category. - Chaff are worth 10 points each.
Note that the Bridge card is also worth it’s month value: 5 points. However, since all Normal Animals are worth 5 points, the Bridge card is considered a Normal Animal card.
This gives the deck a total card point value of 330 points. Dividing it into 3 players will give the par score of 110 points.
¶ Gameplay
The setup and gameplay are the same as Bakappana; In each round, players play until their hands run out of cards.
¶ Scoring
After each round, players count their captured card points, then subtract the par score of 110 points to get the settlement score.
Settlement Points = Total of Captured Card Points - 110
Players with positive score gains those points; Players with negative score loses those points.
The player with the most points becomes the dealer for the next round.
¶ Subeta Mekuri (using Mekurifuda deck)
The following is a theory on how the card values may have been assigned to a Mekurifuda deck, based on those used in a hanafuda deck:
- Among the recommended Mekurifuda decks to be used for this game are Fukutoku, Kurouma, and Mitsuogi, because the gold and silver overprints of those decks correspond to the card point values used in this game.
- Remove the extra Onifuda from the deck, so that there are 48 cards in the deck.
- In general, use the Clubs suit for the Animals, and the Swords suit for the Ribbons.
- The 2 of coins is worth 15 points.
- The 6 of clubs is worth 9 points.
- The 7, 8, and 9 of clubs are worth face value.
- All other cards of the clubs suit are worth 5 points each.
- All cards of the swords suit are worth 1 point each.
- All other cards are worth 10 points each.
The gameplay remains the same as if Subeta Mekuri was played using hanafuda.
¶ Bibliography
- Takeshi Ichinose, “Atarashii Hanafuda Nyuumon”