by KevinHutchins314

Deal 3, Table 7: Initiation enter Trick A~ contract taker leads King of Risks

Image by KevinHutchins314
Bid, Bitch, secret Discard, and Initiation are described for this photo.

(Full explanation of this Trilemma Supra)

Last week when a radiator-to-heater hose began leaking onto the engine block of our 1994 Toyota small pickup truck, we took it in for maintenance. I paid about 00, and (despite the smackdown to my finances) as usual i am completely happy with Chuck’s Midtown Automotive (15 minutes walking distance from our home on North State Street, Bellingham.) It’s worth keeping it running because it has minimal rust (on the spots where other idiotic driver’s have scratched us in parking lots) and the odometer has only around 44444 miles. That’s right: less than forty-five thousand miles on our seventeen-year old vehicle. Just imagine our exciting lifestyle.

I ran out of HIV medications this week, and i’ll be discussing new options next Monday with my doctor. Maybe we’ll reconsider Dapsone for prophylaxis against recrudescence of pneumocystis. My insurance company which is supposed to coordinate Medicare coverage with my long-term disability benefits has been somewhat of a hassle with some of these HIV-related medications, but i’m sure i’ll work something out. I bet i’ll also weigh over 150 pounds when i stand on the scales at the doctor’s office, as long as i keep my boots and winter clothes on. One way or another, i will be doing my best to keep the endocannabinoid levels at an appetite-stimulating level. Cough, smile, yum.

— — — Deal 3 at Table 7
— — — Tricks A, B, and C
— — — (Titanomaxia ~ Trilemma Supra tournament)

The terminals are the trio of three KEY cards which determine the scoring targets: TITAN WIZARD DEMON

The unbeatable (number 21) King of Trump is the original TITAN; he may never be captured, thus never changes sides from where he’s dealt. The extremely vulnerable (number 1) Ace of Trump is the lowly WIZARD; he might score extra for being used in the final Magick Trick, but he is easily captured by any higher trump and thus might change sides. The unsuitable Joker card which is excused from all canonical hierarchies is the backwards DEMON (pseudo-zero number 0); unlike all other cards, he remains in the possession of the hand where he was dealt as long as he’s played before the final trick, despite losing any trick where he’s played, and thus usually never changes sides. In the 3-player game of tarot trumps which uses 78 tricky points per deck: the contract scoring-targets require a minimum of 46, 43, 36, or 33 points to succeed while finishing with none, one, two, or all three of the KEY terminals, respectively.

If a hand is completed and all three KEY terminal cards are disposed into the same tricky pile after the completion of the current bid and tricking sequence, we call this the "trilemma". If the "trilemma" occurs, we play another hand which is called the "supra". After completing the "Trilemma Supra", the tournament will be officially over, and players can settle up for their credits scored. Most gamblers exchange their credits for money, but vegi-shamen prefer more delicious rewards, such as raspberries, or breathtakingly dangerous kisses.

— — —

Speaking of rumours of the shamanic vapours of cannabinoidery: Teledildonix’ Tarot Garden is in the midst of a Trilemma Supra tournament of Titanomaxia, currently on deal number 3 at table number 7. The three players had accrued (zero-sum) scores as follows: Initiate shaman (SphinxterBuzz) was at a deficit of -22 credits; Medium shaman (Snagglective) was at a profit of +149 credits; and Dealer shaman (HoneyTwinz) was down by -127 credits.

— — — BIDDING phase

The Initiate’s secret twenty-four cards had been dealt as:

Void: [TITAN] 21 20 19 15 14 11 6 4 1 [WIZARD]
Earth: [Archon] Ω 9 6 3 A
Fire: 3 5 8
Water: 7 3
Air: Ψ 2 6 7 T

The Initiate bid to "Take" the Bitch and monkey around, the Medium said "Pass", and the Dealer said "Pass". The bid was accepted, so the Initiate (taker) revealed the Bitch cards on the tableau (PROGNOSTICATION):
BITCH =

Void: 10 [Luck, fate] (wheel of fortune/ rode of fortune/ route of fortune/ la rota della fortuna/ la rota della Vortumna/ LA ROTA ROTAR OTARO TAROT AROTAROTAROTAROTAROTARO TAROT …)
Water: 9 [Joy, cheer]
Earth: Ψ [Psionic provider, sustainer] (+3 tête points)
Air: 3 [Scars, injuries]
Fire: 4 [Rewards, achievements]
Water: 4 [Luxuries, dreamcatchers]

The taker confidentially absorbed the Bitch cards into his hand, then made a secret discard of two tierces (six Cosmic Tribe members altogether, ordinarily forbidden to discard trumps such as the 10 Wheel). Contractor’s secret discard:
ÉCART =

Fire 5 (frustration), Water 3 (friendship), Fire 8 (opportunity); Water 7 (orgy), Water 9 (joy), Water 4 (luxuries).

The taker’s newly rearranged hand now consists of the following cards:
CONTRACTOR =

Air: Ψ 2 3 6 7 T
Water: void
Fire: 3 4
Earth: [Archon] Ω 9 6 3 A
Void: [TITAN] 21 20 19 15 14 11 10 6 4 1 [WIZARD]

The taker is seated in Initiate position, mentions no overt attempt to slam, mentions no handful (of supermajority in trumps) and therefore enters the first card to request the opening of the first trick (INITIATION):

— — —

TRICK A =

Initiate leads [Archon] Ω King of Risks (earth) [healer, +4 points].

Medium mentions no handful, and thus follows as requested, with deuce of Risks (2 of earth) [evolution, +0 points].

Dealer mentions no handful, and surprisingly is soonest into the Void (of earth), captures the trick with 3 trumps (impress) [Producer, +0 points].

The tempo has now changed as the taker is no longer in the lead, therefore the INITIATION is concluded upon finishing that tierce of three cards: heal, evolve, produce impressively. Earn +4 for the face card and +1 tricky point for capturing the tierce, thus the score is +5 tricky points for the co-defenders against the contract, zilch for the contractor. Dealer will lead to the next trick.

— — —

This hand is continued on the next photo.

Article by Todd Holiday

Using credit cards wisely is part of an overall financial plan that should include budgeting, savings/investment, debt management and insurance. In your economic life, money is “fungible,” meaning that all these areas are interconnected, and a dollar saved in one area can be spent in another. It all comes out of one “pot,” so to speak, so any time you reach into that pot for more than is budgeted, you will affect your entire financial plan.

That said, there are ways to save money on credit cards – shopping around for interest rates, getting cards with no annual fee, paying your balance off monthly – but there are also ways to make money with them. This is where rewards and/or “points” programs come into play. Remember, though, that credit card companies do not promote rewards programs out of kindness or on a whim. They do it because they can make money doing so. Therefore, you need to know how rewards programs work, and have the discipline to work them to your advantage, or they will just be another expense to you, regardless of the occasional item you get to trade points for (and it may even come in a box with ribbon on it).

Rebates vs. points

When considering what credit card reward programs to join, make sure to research the subject well and think it through. You also need to ensure that the type of program you choose fits your lifestyle and temperament. If you are a bachelor, you don’t need a card that builds rewards points at “Baby & Boo’s Clothes for Youths” or anything like that. You should get reward cards whose advantages that are of real value to you, and valuable right now, not in three years. Naturally, the primary advantage of a rewards program that is well-managed (by you and by the credit card company) is the fact you will be obtaining benefits worth more than the programs cost you.

The two most popular rewards programs are (1) accumulating points toward merchandise or services and (2) getting cash rebates, usually annually. The Discover card is famous for its rebate programs, but the fact is that there are a number of limitations and you have to work diligently to get anything close to the maximum 5% annual rebate. Other cards, from Visa and MasterCard to oil company cards, have rebate programs, too, but most often have points-based rewards programs that are geared to travel or shopping. You need to make this decision, cash back or points, when deciding among the credit cards and rewards programs in effect today.

Tailoring the programs

You may decide that you want a “cash back” card or, better yet, one that does not offer just cash, but also gives you the option of taking rebates in the form of gift certificates or cards. Sometimes, for extra incentive, gift certificates that are used at specified businesses can result in up to double the cash back. If you are a big fan of getting real “bang for your buck,” then you should consider getting a credit card that offers these expanded choices.

Rewards programs in which you build up points can be advantageous especially when used for travel redemption. In fact, among the very first credit card rewards programs were some that let you build up “miles” for use with certain airlines. Today, of course, you can do many more things with your points, and anything you want with your annual cash rebates. Programs run by the different credit card companies share a number of basic characteristics, of course, but then offer incredible variety when it comes to how they operate, what they cost and what they really offer in value.

Making the choice(s)

Whatever rewards program you join, read all the fine print. Make sure you understand what purchases are not qualified, that is, do not earn you any points or rebates. There will always be exclusions. Some cards offer rewards programs with no annual fee, while others will waive the first year’s fee if your spending reaches a certain threshold, but it is very hard to get a no-fee program unless your credit is excellent and your purchases add up to a hefty number.

You should take the time to crunch a few numbers to see if joining a rewards program or two is worth your while. The annual fee, the interest you pay, the amount you use your card – all of these will affect your total cost of membership, and your benefits need to exceed the cost or you will simply be handing over extra money to the credit card company and the bank behind it. Talk to some friends or coworkers about their experiences with rewards programs, and interpret what you hear in terms of your own needs, buying patterns and financial status. The last thing you want to do is make the rewards program a reward for the credit card company instead of yourself!

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