Looking for a card game that's big on fun but small enough for little hands? Say hello to Inbetween Bridge! This game was born when a grandparent noticed that their grandchildren struggled to hold all 13 cards from the traditional bridge game—those tiny hands just couldn't manage it. Plus, the complexities of classic bridge can be a bit much for a 10-year-old who's more interested in ice cream than intricate bidding strategies.So, what's the solution? Simplify the game without losing the strategic excitement! Inbetween Bridge trims down the deck and the rules, making it perfect for kids and adults alike who want to enjoy a game that's easy to grasp but still offers plenty of tactical thinking.
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nbetween Bridge is a card game for 4 players. At the table, you'll take on the familiar roles of North, East, South, and West. Players sitting opposite each other are teammates—so North partners with South, and East teams up with West.To make things manageable, we've modified the traditional deck:
Removed: The entire clubs suit and all the 2s from the remaining suits.
What's Left: A 36-card deck consisting of 12 spades, 12 hearts, and 12 diamonds.
After a good shuffle, deal out all the cards. Each player gets 9 cards—just the right amount for small hands and big fun!
The goal is simple: win as many tricks as you can. Each trick consists of every player laying down one card, and there are 9 tricks in total—one for each card in your hand.
Follow Suit: You must play the same suit as the leading card if you can.
No Suit? No Problem!: If you don't have the suit, feel free to play any card—or even trump it!
Winning a Trick: The highest card of the leading suit wins, unless a trump card is played.
Leading the Next Trick: The winner of the previous trick leads the next one, choosing any suit they like.
To keep things interesting, one suit often becomes the trump suit, outranking the other two suits.
Can't Follow Suit? Play a trump card to try and win the trick.
No Trumps? No Worries! Sometimes you might decide to play without a trump suit—this is called "sans atout" or "SA" if you're feeling fancy.
Before the fun begins, there's a quick bidding phase to decide the trump suit.
Make Your Bid: If you think you can win 5 tricks with hearts as trumps, you'd bid 1 Heart.
Challenge Accepted: The opposing team might counter with 1 Spade if they believe they can do better with spades.
Bidding Hierarchy: Diamonds are lowest, followed by hearts, and spades are the highest.
The team that wins the bidding commits to winning the number of tricks they bid. Succeed, and you score points. Fall short, and the other team reaps the rewards. High stakes, high fun!
Who's First? The dealer starts the bidding.
To Bid or Not to Bid: Depending on your hand, you can make a bid or pass.
Roles Assigned: The highest bidder becomes the declarer and leads the playing phase. Their partner becomes the dummy, laying their cards face-up once play begins. Don't worry—the dummy still gets to share in the victory (and the snacks)!
Keeping score is straightforward:
First Four Tricks: Worth zero points—think of them as warm-ups.
Tricks 5 to 9: Each is worth 1 point.
Missing Your Bid: If you don't make your bid, the other team gets 2 extra points. Ouch!
Estimating how many tricks you can win is part of the strategy.
High Cards Have Value:Ace: 4 points
King: 3 points
Queen: 2 points
Jack: 1 point
Total Points: There are 30 points up for grabs in the deck, so teamwork makes the dream work!
In Inbetween Bridge, we've ditched the complicated parts like rubbers and vulnerability to keep the game light and fun—just the way kids (and adults pretending to be kids) like it.So gather your family, deal out those 9 cards, and dive into a game that's easy to learn, quick to play, and full of strategic twists. Who knows? You might just inspire the next generation of bridge champions—or at least keep the grandchildren entertained until dessert!
By playing this bridge card game, you might come up with questions or ideas to make it even better. We welcome your comments and feedback—they'll help us improve the game for everyone to enjoy!
Hugh Kenley
15 november 2024
The Hague, Netherlands
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