Crescendo is a 3 player trick-taking game. It is played using a short deck with cards A-5 in four suits plus one joker. Each hand is divided into an Auction Phase and a Play phase. Only one player will be eligible to score points in a hand. The auction determines who will be the "soloist" and choose the trump suit in the play phase. The other two players will play against the soloist. Play is standard must-follow trick-taking. Tricks are won by the highest card in the lead suit, or the highest trump card if any trump cards are played. The soloist wins points for tricks, attempting to win the amount that they had bid in the auction phase. The player with the most points after several hands wins the game.

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