Daily Challenge Recap

Four Clubs in a Row Are Worth 50 Before You Play a Card

You lose five tricks and win the hand. A four-card run is worth 50 points before a card is played.

The hand

Your first six cards are the 10 of hearts, the 9, 8, 7 and 6 of clubs, and the 6 of spades. The kitty is the Queen and King of clubs and the 10 of diamonds.

Your six cards are the 10 of hearts, the 7, 8, 9 and 6 of clubs and the 6 of spades. The kitty is the 10 of diamonds and the queen and king of clubs. Trump is clubs.
Your first six cards, then the kitty you pick up after calling clubs.

The decision

Clubs wins 129 to 103, with the run and the Bella both on your side. Diamonds wins too, 124 to 108. Hearts loses 110 to 122, and spades loses 99 to 113.

You hold a 50 run whichever suit you call. The question is which suit adds the most. Opponent 1 holds the Jack and Ace of clubs, and that costs you the first trick.

The line that wins

The hard AI, playing all four seats with the cards face up, won four of nine tricks with clubs as trump.

Trick 1: Opponent 1's Jack

The Jack of clubs takes the first trick for 30 points. You cannot stop it.

Trick 9: the King finishes

You lead the King of clubs and take the last trick, 30 points with the bonus.

Nine tricks with clubs as trump. You win tricks 4, 7, 8 and 9; Opponent 1 wins tricks 1, 2, 3 and 6; Opponent 2 wins trick 5.
Every trick in order. A gold outline marks the winner.

The takeaway

Count runs before tricks. The 50 run and the 20 Bella are worth 70 here, more than any trick on the table. You can lose the Jack, the Ace and five tricks and still win, because the points were banked before the first lead. A run only counts for the seat with the best one, so check whether an opponent holds a better run before you rely on yours. See runs and Bella.

Think you can beat it?

Today's Daily Challenge is a new hand.