For clarity, we first describe one of the simpler, later versions. There are many slightly different versions of 98, and the original Arizona game has some complications which were dropped as it spread more widely. There is Ninety-nine, the three-player trick taking game invented by David Parlett, and the Chinese partnership trick-taking game of Hundred. Note that there are also other, entirely different card games called 99 and 100. Kantaphon Tongmee tells me that a similar adding game 99 (เก้าสิบเก้า) is played in Thailand. I have received two reports from families who played 98 in the 1970's and and one who played 99 in the 1950's. These games presumably have a common origin, since the details, including even the effects of the special cards are similar, and to judge from the correspondence I have received, they probably originated in North America in the mid 20th century, even though they are not documented in the card game manuals of that period.

These are adding games, in which the values of the cards are added together as they played in a single pile, the object being to avoid taking the total above the target score (98, 99, 100 respectively). This page is based on contributions from several players.

Kings corners drinking game