CALL BRIDGE

OBJECTIVE OF CALL BRIDGE: The objective of Call Bridge is to reach a predetermined score first to win.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 4 Players

MATERIALS: One 52-card deck, a way to keep score, and a flat surface.

TYPE OF GAME: Trick-Taking Card Game

AUDIENCE: Adult

OVERVIEW OF CALL BRIDGE

Call Bridge is a trick-taking card game for 4 players. There are no partnerships in this game and all players will bid, play, and win tricks separately. Scores are also kept separately. The goal of the game is to reach a predetermined number of points to win. Players can do this by making bids and completing them to score points over several rounds of play. The first person to reach the needed score wins. 

SETUP

A dealer is chosen randomly and then each round after will pass to the right. The dealer shuffles the 52-card deals each player 13 cards, one card at a time, counterclockwise. Players may then pick up and view their hands. The bidding round may then begin.

Card Rankings and Trumps

In Call Bridge, the ranking of cards is traditional Ace (high), King, Queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 (low). Unlike other games, the trump suit does not change. For Call Bridge, the trump suit is always spades. 

BIDDING

After hands are dealt players will have a round of bidding. It starts with the player’s right of the dealer and continues counterclockwise around the table. Each player will call a number of tricks they think they can win this round. All players must say at least 2 but may say up to 12. The players do not have to outbid the previous player and may call whatever number they wish. They are responsible for winning these to score points or be penalized for not completing their bid.

GAMEPLAY

Now that bids have been placed the game can begin. The player to the dealer’s right will start the game, continuing from them counterclockwise. 

Tricks can be led by any card in the leading player’s hand. The following players must follow suit if possible, and if not, must try to beat the highest trump played if able. If they cannot follow suit and cannot beat the highest trump, they may play any card. 

The trick is won by the highest trump, or if not applicable, the highest card of the suit led. The winner of the trick will lead the next. 

SCORING

After all, tricks have been played players will score their points. 

A player who completed their bid and scored trick equal to or greater than the number of tricks they bid will score the number of tricks they bid in the bidding round, not the number of tricks they scored. 

If a player was unsuccessful in making their bid, they will lose points equal to the number bid in the bidding round.

Bids of 8 or more tricks are special and are called bonus bids. If a bonus bid is successful, the player will score 13 points, but to be successful a player can only win the number of tricks they bid or one greater. If a player wins less than the bid or 2 or more over the bid, they are unsuccessful and will lose the number of points equal to the bid. For example, if a player called a bid of 10 and they won 10 or 11 tricks they would be successful, any other number of tricks would make them unsuccessful. 

END OF GAME

The game is won when a player reaches or exceeds the number of points predetermined before the game. if multiple players reach the goal in the same round the player with the higher total wins. 

Nakoa Davis
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