Fun and Games

Rook

12 Comments

rookIf you happen to be on a fundamentalist college campus and see four  guys hunched over a table with cards in their hands, more than likely you are in the presence of one of the the never-ending Rook games that frequent those hallowed halls.

In 1906, Parker Brothers shrewdly created Rook in answer to the Christian objections to games played with standard playing cards.  Fundamentalist college students are forever in their debt. Indeed, many fundamentalists study the game of rook in all it’s variations with the same dedication that others study poker. Being a Rook shark is a high place of honor indeed.

So pull up a chair and prepare to bid or set. Call trump well, void as many colors as you can and hope you’re dealt the Rook. And give thanks that you too can enjoy the pleasures of a card game without risking your soul to the evils of playing cards.

Parker Brothers thanks you.

12 thoughts on “Rook”

  1. Only a liberal plays Rook. If you were truly separated you would realize that UNO is the only Christian card game. 🙂

  2. No, no, no, it’s Dutch Blitz, that’s the only game of choice for the true Fundie – especially those from PCC…I learned a lot in my 2 1/2 years there!

  4. Right on Darrell! We did Rook tournaments at Northland. And as a kid, my family and church were fine with any game we played (no matter if it was a playing card gambling style game) as long as we didn’t use the sinful playing cards. Of course we were taught right in Sunday School that playing cards had satanic, anti-God roots.

  5. Darrell,

    LOVE THIS. I played Rook with three other guys at BJU, and I have taught the game to the teenagers in my youth group. Great game, and great times in the bubble.

  7. in defense of Rook, it is ridiculously fun, and isn’t only played by Fundamentalists, though I prefer Euchre and 42 (for those from Texas) as far as bidding games go

  8. How to gamble at a fundy college with a Rook deck. 🙂 We did!

    1 = ace
    13 = King
    12 = Queen
    11 = Jack
    10 and down are normal

    Blue = spades
    Black = clubs
    Red = hearts
    Yellow = diamonds

  10. I once found a deck of cards that was the Christian version of “Go Fish”. It was called Noah’s Ark.
    The deck had 48 cards. The cards were numbered from 1 to 12 and each number corresponded to a different animal (no dinosaurs or unicorns.) I used different colored permanent markers to create suits. My friends and I were able to play poker at lunch breaks at my fundie school. I did not know about Rook or Uno back then.
    But we were allowed to play chess. ❓ That game has a powerful queen and a bishop.

  11. Wow..Rook was actually one of my favorite memories. Our church used to have game night/fellowship once a month and all the adults (half a dozen of us) would play Rook while the young’ns would play Chutes and Ladders or something like that and we would listen to approved southern gospel music (just the approved groups) because it was OK for fellowship but certainly not for worship.

    I will never forget how much fun my pastors wife had playing that game. Her joy and laughter filled the room. She is with the Lord now.

    Regular playing cards were from the Devil himself but Rook was sanctified. Despite the legalism, it was a great memory. Glad I found this old thread.

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