Announcements
A strong hand gives you a choice. You can keep quiet and let the cards do the talking, or you can announce that your side expects to win. In return, you get more game points if you are right. If you are wrong, the other side gets them instead.
Announcements also tell the table something about the teams. That makes them useful even before the score is settled. Your partner knows how to read the signal, while your opponents only learn that the caller is not on their side.
Re and Kontra
The player with the Queens of Clubs is on Re. The other side is Kontra. A soloist also plays for Re. Say the name of your side out loud to make the announcement.
A successful Re or Kontra announcement adds two game points. The winning side collects those points, so calling and then losing hands them to your opponents. Both sides can make the call in the same game, which puts four points into play before any later bids are counted.
Bids set a tougher target
After a valid Re or Kontra call, either player on that side can raise the stakes with a bid. A bid describes how many card points the opponents will fail to reach.
- No 90: the opponents finish below 90 card points.
- No 60: the opponents finish below 60 card points.
- No 30: the opponents finish below 30 card points.
- Black: the opponents take no trick.
A bid is about the other side, not your own score. If you say No 60, your team does not need to collect 60 points. You need to stop the opponents at 59 or less.
The bids follow an order. No 60 includes No 90, No 30 includes No 90 and No 60, and Black includes every earlier bid. You may announce a higher level while the earlier deadlines are still open, but you cannot come back later and fill in a bid you already missed.
When you can call
The number of cards still in your hand sets the deadline. These are the latest legal moments in the standard rules used by the game:
| Call | You must still hold |
|---|---|
| Re or Kontra | 11 cards |
| No 90 | 10 cards |
| No 60 | 9 cards |
| No 30 | 8 cards |
| Black | 7 cards |
The first call must be made on your turn. Once your side has made Re or Kontra, your partner can continue with the bids on a later turn. If you announced a wedding, wait until the partner-finding trick has resolved before making calls. The game adjusts the deadlines for that delay.
The cost of overconfidence
Treat every call as a promise. If your side declares No 60 and the opponents score 60 or more, your side fails the bid and loses the game, even if it captured more card points. The same idea applies to Re, Kontra, and the other bids.
The defending side can also score for beating a bid. For example, if your opponents declare No 60 and your team reaches 90 card points, you receive an extra point for getting at least 30 points above their target. That is a nice consolation prize for making them regret the call.
In the rare case that both sides miss their bids, neither side wins the game or receives points for the failed calls. Special points still follow the ruleset in use.
When should you announce?
Start with the hand, not the score you wish it had. Many high trumps, a short side suit, or a strong first trick can justify Re or Kontra. A bid needs more than optimism. You still need enough control to keep the opponents below a specific number.
Announcements get more comfortable with practice. Make the first call when you can explain why your hand should win, then save the next bid for the moment when the cards give you a second reason. If you are already looking for excuses, pass.