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Alternative Card Games for Bridge Fans

by Jude Goodwin © Great Bridge Links

For Bridge enthusiasts looking to explore new card games, several options offer a similar level of strategy, skill, and enjoyment. Here are some top picks for card games with physical boards and cards that can serve as great substitutes for Bridge fans. We’ve given just basic outlines of the game and will include links to resources and places where you can learn more!

Whist

Whist is a classic trick-taking card game that shares many similarities with Bridge. It is played with a standard 52-card deck by four players in two partnerships. The objective is to win as many tricks as possible.

Basic Rules and Gameplay

• The game is played over several rounds.
• Each player is dealt 13 cards.
• The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick.
• Players must follow suit if possible; otherwise, they can play any card.
• The highest card of the led suit wins the trick.
• The partnership that wins the most tricks scores points.

Appeal to Bridge Fans

Whist is straightforward yet requires strategic thinking, making it an excellent alternative for Bridge players. It emphasizes teamwork and skill, much like Bridge.

Start with Whist – A Guide to Winning Tricks – will get you going!

Euchre

Euchre is another trick-taking game popular in North America, particularly in the Midwest. It is played with a deck of 24, 28, or 32 cards, and four players in partnerships. My brother raves about this game and played in a Euchre league in Whistler BC for years.

Basic Rules and Gameplay

• The game uses a smaller deck, typically removing cards below the 9 rank.
• Each player is dealt five cards.
• The remaining cards form the kitty, with the top card turned up to establish the trump suit.
• Players bid to declare the trump suit.
• The game is played over several rounds, aiming to win at least three tricks.
• Scoring is based on the number of tricks won.

Appeal to Bridge Enthusiasts

Euchre’s emphasis on strategy, partnership, and the excitement of trump suits makes it a compelling choice for Bridge players seeking a new challenge. You can learn the rules for Euchre on Pagat.com

Pinochle

Pinochle is a trick-taking game played with a unique 48-card deck. Similar to bridge, it is played by two to four players in partnerships. The game combines elements of melds (combinations of cards) and tricks. By the way, it’s pronounced pee-knuckle – seriously.

Basic Rules and Gameplay

• Players are dealt 12 cards each.
• Players bid to declare the trump suit and aim to win the bid.
• The game has two phases: melding and trick-taking.
• Melds are scored based on specific combinations of cards.
• Players then play tricks, aiming to win as many as possible.
• The total score is the sum of meld points and trick points.

Reasons for Bridge Players to Try It

Pinochle requires strategic bidding, careful hand management, and effective partnership communication, appealing to Bridge players looking for a similar experience.

Hearts

Hearts is a trick-avoidance game for four players. Unlike Bridge, the goal is to avoid certain cards and accumulate the fewest points.

Basic Rules and Gameplay

• The game uses a standard 52-card deck.
• Each player is dealt 13 cards.
• Players pass three cards to an opponent before each round.
• The player with the 2 of clubs leads the first trick.
• Players must follow suit if possible; otherwise, they can play any card.
• The objective is to avoid winning tricks containing hearts and the queen of spades.
• The game ends when a player reaches 100 points; the player with the fewest points wins.

Appeal to Bridge Fans

Hearts involves strategic thinking and careful card management, making it an enjoyable game for Bridge enthusiasts. Read Hearts, Everyone’s Favourite Game, here.

Spades

Spades is a trick-taking game for four players in partnerships. It uses a standard 52-card deck, and the spade suit is always trump.

Basic Rules and Gameplay

• Each player is dealt 13 cards.
• Players bid the number of tricks they expect to win.
• The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick.
• Players must follow suit if possible; otherwise, they can play a spade or any other card.
• The highest card of the led suit or the highest spade wins the trick.
• Teams score points based on the number of tricks bid and won.

Why Bridge Fans Might Enjoy It

Spades offers strategic bidding and play, similar to Bridge. The constant presence of a trump suit adds excitement and complexity to the game. You can read ‘Tips and Tricks on How to Play Spades” to dig in (pun intended)!

 

These card games provide Bridge fans with various options to explore while maintaining the strategic and skillful elements they enjoy. Whether it’s the teamwork in Whist and Euchre, the unique scoring in Pinochle, the avoidance tactics in Hearts, or the strategic bidding in Spades, there’s a game for every Bridge enthusiast looking for a new challenge.

But let’s not forget UNO – although it’s not much like bridge, pretty much every bridge player in the world has played the game. UNO is a great game to get your little kids started holding, dealing, and playing with cards.

Uno

Uno is a classic card game with simple gameplay yet incredibly thrilling. It is a popular game around the world and involves 2-10 players. Players are required to match the card on the hand with the current one on the deck. This may be either by color or number.

There are also special action cards that can deliver game-changing options. Such include, Draws Twos, Skips, Reverses, Wild, and Draw Four Wild Cards. If the cards do not allow a player to make a match, then the player must draw from the central pile.

When a player is down to one card, they should shout UNO. The game also has penalties for breaking the rules. For instance, a player must draw two cards if they fail to call UNO when playing the second to last card.

Slots

Slots aren’t card games, but many bridge players love to gamble and many more have a personal relationship with slot machines. These games are designed with thousands of discrete themes with numerous selections that players can choose. Familiarizing yourself with slots takes only a few minutes. After learning, players can spend hours playing due to the immense entertainment that slots offer.

Slots are also ideal for punters yearning to mint. This requires precise strategies that can help players reduce losses while maximizing profits. They have bonuses such as no deposit spins that can boost your luck. All that is required is choosing a favorite slot game and play either for fun or making bucks.