Intro and Back Alley question

[dejavu]

An introduction and a question, if I might.

I was in the Corps from 1969-73, stationed at Camp Lejeune most of the time. I was in 2nd Anglico the whole time, paratrooper (32 jumps).

Back then we played a card game called Back Alley. Every Marine I ever met knew how to play it and nobody not connected to the Corps did.
The game (a trick-taking kind of game) had two jokers (a big and a little), the game started with 13 cards to each of four players (two teams), the top card of the leftovers was turned up and declared trump. You bid on how many tricks you thought you could take (you got 5 pts for tricks you took that you bid on and 2 pts for any more you took). Your team was responsible for the collective bid of your team. The next hand you dealt 12 cards and turned over the top of the rest for trump, then 11, continuing on down to a one card hand, then went back up. The game had 26 hands and the top score won.

We still play it to this day in my family (once I teach it to people).

I have asked Marines from the fifties and they never heard of it. I don't know about modern day Marines. Can any one help me determine the life-span of this card game in the Corps? Just curious.

Thanks so much. I have enjoyed the forum discussions today.

[recon532002]

We Played it too We had weekend back alleyathons. Start Friday night go through sunday afternoon Drink yourself sober. Think it was a Nam thing
Recon

[thedrifter]

Welcome Aboard!

Ellie

[Zulu 36]

Oh yeah, Back Alley!

Played it A LOT. Like Recon said, we'd have Back Alley marathons at Pendleton. My usual partner was a Corpsman and we played sober because we took it that seriously. Coffee, lots of coffee. I was in 1971-1977. Learned in Vietnam.

I taught Back Alley to several guys in my Air Guard unit and we played during Desert Storm. Sadly, as they were still in the learning curve, the play quality was low.

[dejavu]

Thanks for the responses so far. I figured someone would remember that game.

[rcain2531]

We played spades, kinda like that but not the 5 points for what you call and two for what ya dont. This was in the last 5 years