Call Break Strategy: How to Call and Win More Tricks

Count sure tricks before you call

Look at your hand suit by suit and count only the tricks you're very likely to win:

• Each Ace of a side suit is usually one trick; a King with the Ace already gone is a maybe.
• High spades (A, K, Q of spades) are strong tricks — spades always win against other suits.
• A short side suit (one or two cards) can let you trump with a low spade later.
• Long suits without high cards rarely win tricks: other players will trump them.

Call a little under, not over

Win at least your call and you score it, plus 0.1 for each extra trick. Fall short and you lose the whole call. Because missing costs so much more than an extra trick earns, a slightly safe call usually beats a bold one.

Keep your spades for the right moment

When you can't follow suit you must play a spade (and beat any spade already played if you can). Keep low spades to trump side suits and high spades to win tricks that matter. Leading spades early pulls out other players' trumps — good if you have many, risky if you don't.

Remember what has been played

Track the Aces, Kings and spades that have fallen. When the Ace of a suit is gone, your King may now be the best card. Late in the round, counting cards is the difference between making your call and missing by one.

Play for your place, not just the round

After the last round the totals decide the places, and the prize pool is split by place. If you're well ahead, a safe call protects 1st; if you're behind, a bigger call may be the only way up.