Card Games
Trick-taking game
A trick-taking game is a card or tile game where play is divided into rounds called tricks, and each trick is won by one player or team according to the rules.
- Also known as
- None; the term is a category label, not a synonym.
- Subtypes
- Plain-trick, point-trick, trick-avoidance, contract trick-taking and inflation games.
- Typical structure
- Players are dealt equal hands, then each plays one card face up to form a trick.
- Winning a trick
- Usually the highest card of the suit led, or a trump card, wins the trick.
Key points
- A trick-taking game organises play into successive tricks; each trick is a set of cards, one per player, and is won by one player or side.1
- The winner of a trick typically leads the next trick, and the game continues until all cards are played.2
- Common subtypes include plain-trick games (goal is to win a set number of tricks) and point-trick games (point value of captured cards matters).3
- Contract trick-taking games, such as bridge and spades, involve bidding for an exact number of tricks.4
- Trick-avoidance games like Hearts penalise players who win certain tricks or cards.5
Examples of trick-taking games
| Game | Subtype |
|---|---|
| Contract bridge | Contract trick-taking |
| Spades | Contract trick-taking |
| Hearts | Trick-avoidance |
| Oh hell | Contract trick-taking |
| Pinochle | Point-trick |
| Tarot games | Point-trick |
How to play a typical trick-taking game
- Deal each player an equal number of cards from a standard 52-card deck.
- The player to the dealer's left leads by playing one card face up to the centre.
- Each other player, in clockwise order, plays one card face up, following the suit led if possible.
- The player who played the highest card of the led suit (or a trump card, if allowed) wins the trick and gathers the cards.
- The winner leads the next trick. Play continues until all cards are played; scoring depends on the game's rules.
Common questions
Is uno a trick taking game?
No, Uno is not a trick-taking game. Uno is a shedding-type game where players aim to discard all their cards by matching colour, number or action, and there are no tricks won by a player.
How to play trick-taking game?
Players are dealt equal hands. One player leads a card, and others play one card each, following suit if possible. The highest card of the led suit, or a trump, wins the trick. The winner leads the next trick, and play continues until all cards are played.
Where this term is used
Related terms
Sources
- Trick-taking game en.wikipedia.org Provides the core definition and subtypes of trick-taking games.
- Mechanics of card games - Pagat pagat.com Details the mechanics of leading and winning tricks.
- Card game en.wikipedia.org Distinguishes plain-trick and point-trick subtypes.
- Oh hell en.wikipedia.org Defines contract trick-taking games and gives Oh hell as an example.
- Hearts (card game) en.wikipedia.org Defines trick-avoidance games and gives Hearts as an example.
Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.