points" (). For multiple () decks, the kitty size varies across regions. 40 is usually used as the point requirement to swap teams, and the rule of combinations may still apply, but exceptions are only granted to full -tuples (e.g. with three decks, doubles are still subject to the rule of combinations and players will have to take back their cards where necessary). Other variants Spin-offs of bashi fen include zhao pengyou, where five players play with two decks in fluid partnerships, with rules similar to that of fluid-partner Bridge. In this case, the dealer may call a particular card, and its owner will be his partner. The playing rules stay largely the same. Miscellaneous optional rules In some variations, the playing of certain scores, especially scores involving point cards, might be mandatory and cannot be skipped. For example, if 10 is mandatory and a team goes up 2 ranks after playing 9, they will have to play 10 first, instead of going straight to jack. Sometimes, other players can change the trump after the dealer has discarded the kitty, and change the kitty again. This variation is called chao dipi (), 'bidding for the land'. In some variations, the number of cards used by the opponents to win the last trick determines the factor which the points in the kitty are multiplied by; if the opponents won the last trick with doubles, the points would be quadrupled, while if the last trick is won with a combination of three cards, then the points would increase sixfold, and so on. When jacks (or aces) are the dominant rank, and the opponents' team wins the last trick with a J (or an A, respectively), the scores of the members of the declarers' team go back to 2 (or J). This is also called "hook and needle" because of the shapes of J and A. The players whose rank goes down is called as being "hooked back" or "needled back". The 5 and sometimes also the 5 may be taken as the highest cards, i.e. hong wu (), 'red five'. If a trick containing one or more red 5s (or 5 only, depending on variant) is won by the opposing team, the player whose red 5 is captured is penalized. See also Dou di zhu Four color cards Gnau Tien len Zi pai Wild escape External links Finding Friends (Zhao Pengyou) rules