The idea
Four players, 52 cards, 13 tricks. First you bid for the right to name trump. Then everyone predicts exactly how many tricks they'll take. You score for hitting your number, not for winning the most tricks.
1. Bid for trump
- A bid is a number of tricks (5 to 13) plus a trump suit, or No Trump. Or you pass.
- Each bid must beat the last one: more tricks, or the same number of tricks in a higher suit. Suits rank ♣ < ♦ < ♥ < ♠ < No Trump.
- Once you pass, you're out of the bidding for this hand.
- When three players have passed, the last bidder wins. Their suit is trump, and their number is the minimum they must predict next.
- If all four pass, the cards are dealt again.
2. Predict your tricks
- Starting with the trump winner and going clockwise, each player says how many tricks they'll take. Everyone sees each prediction as it's made.
- The trump winner must predict at least the number they bid.
- The four predictions can't add up to exactly 13, so the last player to predict can't pick the number that would make 13. At least one player will miss.
- A total over 13 makes an Over hand (players want more tricks than exist); under 13 makes an Under hand.
3. Play the tricks
- The trump winner leads the first trick. Play goes clockwise.
- You must follow the suit that was led if you can.
- If you can't follow suit, you may play a trump or any other card.
- The highest trump wins the trick. If no trump was played, the highest card of the suit led wins.
- Whoever wins a trick leads the next one.
Scoring
- Take exactly the number you predicted: (prediction × prediction) + 10. Predict 4 and take 4 for 26 points.
- Miss: −10 for every trick you are over or under.
- Predict 0 in an Under hand: +50 if you take no tricks, −50 if you take any.
- Predict 0 in an Over hand: +25 if you take no tricks, −25 if you take any.
- If all four players miss, the hand is cancelled and nobody scores.
Winning
- Each hand is a gamlet. A game ends as soon as someone reaches 200 points, or after 10 gamlets. The highest score wins.
- A round on the status bar is one trick.
One tip
Once you have your number, start losing tricks on purpose. The card that ducks under the one already on the table is often the best card you hold.