A GAME OF TRUST & TRUMPS
29.
Bid boldly.
Back your partner.
Bid on these four. Four more arrive after trump is chosen.
J = 3 9 = 2 A = 1 10 = 128 card points in every deal.
One team. One promise.Table rules Four seats · partnership play
First, make a promise.
You and Partner sit opposite Mira and Dev. Each seat gets four cards. The auction goes clockwise from the dealer’s left. Bid at least 16 and above the current bid, up to 28, or pass. The auction ends after three successive passes; an earlier pass does not stop you bidding later. If the first three pass, the dealer must take 16.
The highest bidder privately chooses a trump suit using only those first four cards. The remaining four cards are then dealt to everyone. The hidden trump marker is separate from your hand.
Play eight tricks, led first by the seat to the dealer’s left. Always follow the suit led if you can. If you cannot, play any card. Each trick’s winner leads the next one.
Then, back your partner.
The first player unable to follow suit automatically reveals trump, even if they are the bidder. Before reveal, trump-suit cards are ordinary. From the reveal trick onward, including cards already played to that trick, the highest trump wins; otherwise the highest card of the led suit wins. You are never forced to trump.
Ranks, high to low: J, 9, A, 10, K, Q, 8, 7. Points: J = 3, 9 = 2, A = 1, 10 = 1; others = 0. There are 28 points and no last-trick bonus. The bidder’s team must collect at least its bid.
Controls: tap a legal card, then Play. Number keys 1–8 select cards; Enter plays the selection. B bids, P passes; the bid field also supports arrow keys. Tab/Space reaches every button. Strategy tip: watch points, not just the number of tricks.
This table’s profile
Minimum 16 is a documented variant; Pagat’s main minimum is 15. Single deal only, with no pairs/marriages, doubles/redoubles, seventh-card trump or cumulative pips. Local practice bots see only their own hand and public play (plus their own private trump choice if bidding). They are legal, simple partners—not expert players. Original card art and code. Rules reference: Pagat ↗