Dealer's Dilemma
Dealer's Dilemma Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Objective
Win exactly the number of tricks you bid.
Players
3 players
Cards
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 in 4 suits
Setup
Select a Dealer at random. Dealer shuffles all the cards and deals 12 to the other players and 10 to themselves. The Dealer takes the remaining 2 cards and places them face up for everyone to see.
Then, the Dealer picks one of the cards into their hand. The suit of that card will be the trump suit for this round. If both cards have the same suit, then the Dealer can pick that suit as trump, or can decide there is no trump suit for this round.
The non-chosen card of the 2 must be led by the Dealer to start the first trick.
Bid Phase
Starting from the Dealer, each player bids by putting 2 cards from their hand onto the table in front of them. These cards are not used for trick play. The rank (number) value on a card is how many tricks you predict that you will take.
Easy bid: If you make 2 predictions, put one card face-down and another card face-up next to it. The face-down card is a hidden bid. You can meet either of these bids.
Risky bid: If you make only 1 prediction, you will choose one of the following 3 options.
-
Top card bid: Put a card face-up for everyone to see and another card face-up on top of it. The top card is your single bid value.
-
Difference bid: Put a card face-up for everyone to see and another card face-up on top of it sideways. The rank values of the cards must be unique. The difference between the 2 card ranks is your single bid value.
-
Zero bid: If you predict taking no tricks, put 2 cards face-up, next to each other.
Play Phase
For trick taking, starting with the Dealer each player plays a single card to the trick clockwise. Players must follow suit if possible. If you cannot follow suit, play any card. The highest trump number card wins. If no trump is played, the highest number in the led suit wins. The winner of a trick leads to the next one. Continue until all cards are played.
Score
After playing all tricks in a round, calculate scores, adding to previous scores.
- Easy bid: If the number of tricks won is equal to the hidden card: score 2 points.
- Easy bid: If the number of tricks won is equal to the revealed card: score 4 points.
- Risky Zero bid: If you bid zero and successfully take no tricks: score 6 points.
- Risky Top card or Difference bid: If the number of tricks won is equal to your bid: score 8 points.
- Failing your easy bid: -1 point per trick missed from your lowest bid value.
- Failing your risky bid: -2 points per trick missed from your bid value.
Continuing the Game
Repeat the setup steps for a new round. The Dealer rotates clockwise to the left of the previous Dealer. After playing 6 rounds, the player with the highest score wins. If there's a tie, all tied players win.
When one player has no chance at winning, you could end the game early.
Bid Examples
Easy bid
You are bidding either 2 tricks or the hidden number of tricks. If the hidden card is 4 and you end up taking 5 tricks, you will score -3 points because your lowest bid was 2.
Risky bid
-
Top card bid: You are bidding 2 tricks exactly. If you collect 4 tricks, your score will be -4 points because you missed your bid by 2 tricks.
-
Difference bid: You are bidding 2 tricks exactly (4-2). If you collect 2 tricks, you will score 8 points for meeting your bid.
-
Zero bid: You are bidding 0 tricks exactly. If you collect 4 tricks, your score will be -8 points because you missed your bid by 4 tricks.
FAQ
-
Can you bid a Risky Zero using a pair of same ranked cards via the Difference bid option? Answer: No, the rank values of the cards must be different from each other.
-
If I make an Easy Bid, and put the same rank/number of card in both hidden and visible spots, what is my score if I am successful? Answer: You would score 4 points for the visible easy bid.