Section 4: Gameplay
First Round of Choosing Trump
The player to the dealer's left acts first, followed clockwise by the other players, with the dealer acting last. On a turn, a player either passes or orders the upcard's suit as trump. A player other than the dealer says “order it up” or otherwise clearly names the choice. The dealer selects that suit by accepting or picking up the upcard.
When the upcard's suit is selected, the dealer takes the upcard into hand and discards any one card face down to the kitty, restoring a five-card hand. The dealer may discard the upcard itself after picking it up, although doing so is rarely useful. The player who caused trump to be selected and that player's partner are the makers.
Second Round of Choosing Trump
If all four players pass in the first round, the dealer turns the upcard face down. Beginning again with the player to the dealer's left, each player may name any of the other three suits as trump or pass. The rejected upcard suit cannot be chosen in this round.
If everyone passes again, the hand is thrown in and the next player deals under the basic rules. Many groups instead use “stick the dealer,” under which the dealer must choose one of the three available suits rather than pass. Whichever method is chosen should remain in effect for the whole game.
Going Alone
When a player makes trump, that player may announce an intention to go alone before the opening lead. The maker's partner places all five cards face down and takes no part in the hand. The remaining three active players continue in their usual seating order, skipping the inactive partner's seat.
A player may go alone whether that player ordered the dealer, named a suit in the second round, or is the dealer accepting the upcard. The announcement must be clear and timely; once the first card is led, a maker may not newly declare a lone hand.
Playing Tricks
The player to the dealer's left leads the first trick unless that player is the inactive partner of a lone maker, in which case the next active player to the left leads. A lead may be any card. Each remaining active player contributes one card clockwise.
- A player who holds at least one card of the suit led must follow that suit.
- A player unable to follow suit may play any card, including trump.
- The left bower belongs to trump, not to the suit printed on the card.
- The highest trump played wins the trick. If no trump is played, the highest card of the suit led wins.
- The winner of a trick leads the next trick.
Keep completed tricks face down in front of one member of the team, with each trick separated enough to count. Players may review the current trick until it is gathered, but previously completed tricks should remain face down. After five tricks, count each team's tricks and score the hand.
Irregular Play
Playing out of turn should be corrected as soon as it is noticed. If no later player has exposed a card, return the premature card and restore the proper turn. If later cards have been exposed, casual groups should reconstruct the trick when everyone can agree; otherwise cancel and redeal the hand without score.
Failure to follow suit while holding that suit is a revoke. If discovered before the trick is gathered, take back the cards played after the error, correct the play, and continue. If discovered later, a practical casual penalty is two points for the non-offending team, or four points if the offending side was attempting a lone hand. Do not also score the ordinary result of that hand. Agree on the revoke penalty before play because local customs vary.
Players must not expose cards deliberately, signal strength, identify a partner's mistake before the hand ends, or suggest a play through words, gestures, or unusual emphasis. For an accidental exposure, leave the card visible until legally played or redeal if the exposure gives a major unfair advantage; use the remedy the group considers fairest and apply it consistently.