Legal Options:
5
2
8
4
Our sole task is to win the trick containing GREEN 5, and we currently have the lead. From prior tricks, GREEN 1,2,3,6,7,9 are out; remaining greens are only 4,5,8. We hold GREEN 5. Alpha and Beta showed void in GREEN on Trick 5, so they cannot hold GREEN 4 or 8. Therefore Delta must hold the remaining green(s), specifically GREEN 4 and GREEN 8. If we lead GREEN 5 now, Delta must follow suit and, being cooperative, can safely play GREEN 4 to allow us to win the trick. Alpha and Beta, void in GREEN, can slough non-rocket cards and will avoid rockets to not steal our task. Delaying risks losing the lead or Delta leading GREEN 8 later, endangering the task. Cash the task immediately by leading GREEN 5.
Played:
5
Legal Options:
8
Only one option available
Played:
8
Legal Options:
7
8
9
9
Gamma led the task card GREEN 5, so the only way to complete the task is if Gamma wins this trick—which is impossible since they already played GREEN 5 and cannot play a rocket now. Delta is currently winning with GREEN 8, and if Beta overtrumps with a rocket, the task still fails. Since the mission is effectively lost upon trick resolution, I should discard a harmless high card that could otherwise cause problems later. Dumping YELLOW 9 is safe (off-suit cannot win) and preserves BLUE 7/8/9 for control if the game were to continue.
Played:
9
Legal Options:
3
4
7
1
Gamma led GREEN 5, which is the task card that Gamma must win. Delta has overcalled with GREEN 8 and is currently winning. As last to act, the only way to change the winner is to play a rocket, which would give the trick to me and immediately fail the task anyway. Playing any yellow safely loses the trick to Delta, which also fails the task; however, it avoids the extra harm of spending my rocket and taking an unnecessary failing trick. Therefore, discard the lowest yellow to conserve flexibility.
Played:
3
Mission Failure: PLAYER-DELTA's GREEN 8 won the trick containing the GREEN 5