Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!munnari.oz.au!bruce!khsoh
From: khsoh@bruce.OZ (Kam Hung Soh)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Computer implementation of card games
Summary: Careful not to get stuck with the mechanics of the game
Message-ID: <1570@bruce.OZ>
Date: 2 Oct 89 23:06:46 GMT
References: <2512DF6F.19668@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca> <58134@aerospace.AERO.ORG> 
Organization: Monash Uni. Computer Science, Australia
Lines: 22

In article , kalvala@iris.ucdavis.edu (Sara &) writes:
> And specifically - which card game would be ideal for introducing data
> structures? Have to use one in a couple days and can't decide:
> blackjack? rummy? solitaire? ...

Blackjack would be the easiest to implement.  The computer player
can be pretty dumb, the user interface rudimentary and it would
teach students how to handle data structures that include records
and arrays - if that is what you are looking for.  You have to be
careful that students don't get caught up trying to come up with
a super computer player or pretty graphics, though.

Solitaire is too hard because plenty of cards have to be
displayed on the screen at all times, and rummy has too many
rules.  

I only speak from experience in trying to implement these games
when I am learning a new language.  


-- 
khsoh@bruce.cs.monash.oz