
- BGG rank
- BGG #45
- BGG rating
- 8.0
The Crew: Mission Deep Sea
- 2–5 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2021

Rules assistance for Sergeant Major
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 3 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Sergeant Major is a board game for 3 players and 60 minutes per game. Its main mechanics are Trick-taking.
Sergeant Major is a trick-taking traditional card game for 3 players using a standard 52 card deck. It takes its name from its popularity among members of Britain's Royal Air Force. Multiple variations of the game exist. The two most common are the 9-5-2 (also known as the Canadian version) and the 8-5-3 (the British, Indian and Near-East Version). 8-5-3 versionn: as per Pagat.com The aim is to win as many tricks as possible. If a player succeeds in winning 12 or more tricks in one hand, the game ends and that player wins. The player to dealer's left leads any card to the first trick. It is compulsory to follow suit if able to; a player holding no card of the suit led may play any card. Each trick is won by the highest trump it contains, or if there are no trumps in it, by the highest card of the suit led. The winner of each trick leads to the next. End of the Game The game ends when any player succeeds in winning 12 or more tricks in one hand, thereby winning the game.
Sergeant Major supports 3 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Sergeant Major is 60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
Sergeant Major has a complexity rating of 1.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Sergeant Major belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Trick-taking. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The catalogue lists Sergeant Major as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.