Rules for Amerikaner

Amerikaner is a strategic trick-taking game similar to Bridge, Whist, and Hearts. It is played with a full 52-card deck.

The game works for 3–6 players and a round usually takes 10–20 minutes. You need a standard deck and something to keep score with.

The goal is to collect enough tricks across several rounds to reach 52 points (one point per trick). The first player to reach 52 points wins.

The full deck is dealt to all players one card at a time. Depending on the number of players, some cards are set face down in the middle as a kitty:

• 3 players: 4 cards in the kitty (max 17 tricks)
• 4 players: (max 13 tricks)
• 5 players: 2 cards in the kitty (max 11 tricks)
• 6 players: 4 cards in the kitty (max 9 tricks)

Each player sorts their hand by suit and rank and keeps their cards hidden.

Bidding starts with the player to the left of the dealer. Each player can either bid the number of tricks they expect to take (the bid must be higher than the previous one), or pass.

If a kitty is used, the winner of the bidding picks it up as a bonus trick. The maximum bid depends on the number of players:

• 3 players: Max 17 tricks
• 4 players: Max 13 tricks
• 5 players: Max 11 tricks
• 6 players: Max 9 tricks

The highest possible bid is "Amerikaner," which means the player commits to taking all tricks on their own, without a partner.

If a player has no face cards (K, Q, J, and optionally A), they may ask for a redeal. If all players pass in the first round of bidding, the cards are also redealt.

The highest bidder (called the caller) picks up the kitty, selects which cards to keep, and places an equal number of cards face down. Those discarded cards form the first trick.

The caller then chooses a trump suit, usually the one where they hold the most and strongest cards.

To find a partner, the caller leads a card in the trump suit and names a specific card in that suit (often a high card like A, K, Q, or J). Each player plays a card in turn, and whoever holds the named card becomes the caller's partner. These two then play as a team.

The player who plays the highest card in this opening round (or the highest trump) wins the trick and leads the next one.

Play follows these rules:

• You must follow suit if you can.
• If you cannot follow suit, you may play a trump or any other card.
• The highest card in the lead suit wins the trick, unless a trump has been played, in which case the highest trump wins.
• The winner of the trick leads the next one.

Play continues until all cards have been played.

Once all cards have been played, scores are settled as follows:

• If the caller and partner take at least as many tricks as the bid, they each earn points equal to the bid.
• If they fall short, they each lose points equal to the bid.
• All other players earn 1 point per trick taken.
• On an "Amerikaner" bid: if the caller takes every trick solo, they earn 52 points.

The first player to reach 52 points wins.

Several popular variants of Amerikaner exist:

• Joker Variant: With 5 players, use 3 jokers (with 3 or 6 players, use 2 jokers). A joker wins the trick if played first. Otherwise it scores nothing.
• Grand (No Trump): The caller may choose to play without a trump suit. In this case, the opening trick is only used to identify the partner, and the suit played is irrelevant.
• 2 First on the Table: A two played first in a trick beats everything, including trump.
• Scoring Variants: Some versions give the caller double points compared to the partner. Others give the partner half the bid value, rounded up.
• Pass Round: If everyone passes, a pass round may be played where players score negative points for each trick taken.

A few things to keep in mind when playing Amerikaner:

• Choose your trump suit based on where you have the most and strongest cards.
• Pay attention to which high cards have already been played.
• Coordinate with your partner when you are playing as a team.
• Think carefully before bidding. Overestimating your hand can cost you points.
• When in doubt, it is usually better to pass than to bid too high.
• Try to remember what your opponents have played to get a sense of their remaining cards.