Piratbridge

Bidding

How many tricks is your hand worth?

First count the tricks you can't avoid: the ace of trumps always wins, and the highest trumps often do.
The fewer cards dealt, the more often the high cards are left in the deck. With 3 players and 3 cards, a particular card you can't see is dealt only 1 time in 8.
An ace in a suit other than trump isn't safe when you hold few cards: players are often void in a suit and can trump it. With 4 players and 3 cards, someone can trump your ace about 2 times in 3.
Small trumps become tricks when a suit you don't have is led.
Make your bid: making 3 scores 13 points and making 2 scores 12. Bid the number you're most likely to take.
Making 0 scores only 5 points, making 1 scores 11. If you're torn between 0 and 1, bid 1, unless 0 is more than twice as likely.

When should the trumps come out?

The ace of trumps always wins a trick, and you can't get rid of it. The same goes for the highest trump left.
If you have the highest trumps, lead them first. Then the others must play their trumps before they can trump your aces.
Don't lead a small trump: it gets beaten. Save it until a suit comes that you don't have.
When you trump, use the smallest trump that wins.
Whoever wins a trick starts the next one. Take your sure trick when you have a safe card to lead afterwards.

Guess your own card from the others'.

You can see all the others' cards, but not your own. Your card is one of those you can't see.
Count how many of the cards you could have would win. Bid 1 if it's more than 1 in 3. With "0 tricks gives 10 points", the line is about 1 in 2.
If someone else has the ace of trumps, you can't win. Look at the face-up card too: if it's the ace, the king of trumps is the highest.
Whoever starts decides the suit. If you start and nobody shows a trump, you often win.
If someone else starts, you only win with a trump or a higher card in the suit that was led.
If someone else shows a trump, it beats every card that isn't a trump, however small it is.

What do you discard when you can't follow suit?

Void means you don't have the suit that was led. Then you may play any card, trumps included.
Need tricks? Trump it, and use the smallest trump that wins.
Have your tricks? Then don't trump. Discard your most dangerous card: a high card that could otherwise win later.
Discard the last card of a short suit. Then you're void in that suit too and can trump it later.
Has someone else already trumped higher than you can? Then it's a safe moment to get rid of a small trump.

Use the bids while you play.

Look at the total when the bids are shown. If it's more than the number of tricks, it's a Fight for the tricks. If it's less, it's a Creeper.
Creeper: there are tricks left over that nobody wants. If you have your tricks, get rid of your high cards early, while others win over them.
Fight for the tricks: there aren't enough tricks for everyone. Take your tricks early, before your aces get trumped.
Keep an eye on who still needs tricks: they'll trump your aces if they can. Whoever bid 0 tries to avoid every trick.
If you play last, you can see the whole trick: win with the smallest card that wins, or play just under.

Take your tricks at the right moment.

Make a plan before you play your first card: where will your tricks come from, and which cards must lose?
Creeper: take your tricks early, while the others can still follow suit, and get rid of the high cards afterwards.
Fight for the tricks: let the others fight. Keep track of which high cards have fallen, and take your trick when it's safe, for example when you play last.
A king becomes a sure trick once the ace has fallen. Keep watch, and play it as soon as it's the highest in its suit.
Count the trumps: once the high trumps have fallen, even a small trump can be the highest.
If you start, you choose the suit. Use it to cash your sure tricks before anyone becomes void.
If you win a trick, you have to start the next one. If you only have dangerous cards left, let the others win.