Game Overview
Bismarck is a strategic 3-player trick-taking card game played over 12 rounds. Each player chooses 4 different contracts throughout the game.
Setup
- 52-card standard deck (A-K in all suits)
- 16 cards dealt to each player
- 4 extra cards dealt face-up to the forehand (dealer)
- Forehand discards 4 cards before play begins
Contract Types
- Låg (Pass): Win as few tricks as possible
- Quota: Forehand 4, Others 6
- Score: +1 point per trick above quota (bad)
- Score: -1 point per trick below quota (good)
- Hög (Spel): Win as many tricks as possible
- Quota: Forehand 8, Others 4
- Score: -1 point per trick above quota (good)
- Score: +1 point per trick below quota (bad)
- Spader: Spades are trump, win as many tricks as possible
- Quota: Forehand 8, Others 4
- Score: -1 point per trick above quota (good)
- Score: +1 point per trick below quota (bad)
- Trumf (Valfri): Choose trump suit, win as many tricks as possible
- Quota: Forehand 8, Others 4
- Score: -1 point per trick above quota (good)
- Score: +1 point per trick below quota (bad)
Gameplay
- Players must follow suit if possible
- Trump cards beat non-trump cards
- Highest card of the led suit wins if no trump is played
- Winner of trick leads next trick
Winning
Lowest total score wins! Aim to meet your quotas exactly to avoid penalty points.