Judgment Card Game Rules
Master the art of bidding and strategy in this classic trick-taking game
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🎯 Game Overview
Judgment (also spelled Judgement) is a popular trick-taking card game that combines strategy, skill, and a bit of luck. Players must accurately predict how many tricks they'll win each round, making it both challenging and exciting for card game enthusiasts.
🎯 Objective
Score the most points by accurately bidding the number of tricks you'll win in each round. Exact bids earn bonus points, while missed bids result in penalties.
✅ What You Need
- • Standard 52-card deck
- • 3-7 players
- • Pen and paper for scoring
- • About 1 hour to play
🏆 Key Skills
- • Strategic bidding
- • Card counting
- • Risk assessment
- • Memory and observation
⚙️ Game Setup
The number of rounds depends on the number of players:
- 3 players: 17 rounds (17→1→17)
- 4 players: 13 rounds (13→1→13)
- 5 players: 10 rounds (10→1→10)
- 6 players: 8 rounds (8→1→8)
- 7 players: 7 rounds (7→1→7)
Start with maximum cards per player, decrease by 1 each round until 1 card, then increase back to maximum. This creates a balanced game experience.
The first dealer can be chosen randomly. In subsequent rounds, the dealer rotates clockwise.
The dealer has a slight advantage as they bid last and can see all other bids before making their decision.
Create a score sheet with columns for each player and rows for each round. You'll track both bids and actual tricks won.
🎮 How to Play
Deal Cards
Dealer distributes cards based on round number
Reveal Trump
Next card determines trump suit (if any)
Bidding Phase
Players predict tricks they'll win
Play Tricks
Players play cards to win tricks
🎯 Bidding Phase
After cards are dealt and trump is revealed, each player must bid the exact number of tricks they believe they can win this round.
⚠️ Important Bidding Rules
- • Bidding starts with the player to the dealer's left
- • Each player must bid a number from 0 to the total cards dealt
- • The dealer bids last and cannot bid a number that makes total bids equal total tricks
- • This ensures not everyone can make their bid exactly
💡 Bidding Strategy
- • Count your high cards and trump cards
- • Consider your position in the bidding order
- • Observe other players' confidence levels
- • Remember the dealer restriction
📊 Example Bidding
4 players, 5 cards each (5 total tricks):
- • Alice bids: 2
- • Bob bids: 1
- • Carol bids: 1
- • Dave (dealer) cannot bid 1 (total would be 5)
🃏 Playing Tricks
🎴 Card Hierarchy
⚡ Winning a Trick
- 1Highest trump card wins
- 2If no trump, highest card of led suit wins
- 3Winner leads the next trick
📋 Playing Rules
- • Follow suit: Must play the same suit as the leading card if possible
- • Trump or discard: If you can't follow suit, you may trump or discard
- • No renege: You cannot choose to trump if you have the led suit
- • First trick: Player to dealer's left leads the first trick
📊 Scoring System
Scorement offers two scoring modes to match your preferred playing style: Standard (traditional) and Enhanced (higher stakes). Choose your mode when starting a new game!
The key to winning is making your bid exactly!
✅ Exact Bid (Bonus Points)
Formula: 10 + Your Bid
• Bid 0, won 0 tricks = 10 points
• Bid 2, won 2 tricks = 12 points
• Bid 5, won 5 tricks = 15 points
❌ Missed Bid (Penalty)
Formula: Only Tricks Won (no bonus)
• Bid 2, won 1 trick = 1 point
• Bid 3, won 5 tricks = 5 points
• Bid 4, won 0 tricks = 0 points
🎯 Strategic Insight
The 10-point bonus for exact bids is significant! It's often better to bid conservatively and make your bid exactly rather than overbid and miss the bonus.
Higher rewards, but miss your bid and you get nothing!
✅ Exact Bid (Enhanced Bonus)
Formula: 10 + (Bid × 10) + Bid
• Bid 0, made = 10 points
• Bid 1, made = 21 points (10+10+1)
• Bid 2, made = 32 points (10+20+2)
• Bid 4, made = 54 points (10+40+4)
• Bid 7, made = 87 points (10+70+7)
❌ Missed Bid (Zero Points!)
Formula: 0 points (regardless of tricks won)
• Bid 2, won 1 trick = 0 points
• Bid 3, won 5 tricks = 0 points
• Bid 4, won 0 tricks = 0 points
All or nothing - precision is everything!
⚡ Why Choose Enhanced?
- • Higher Stakes: Successful bids earn dramatically more points
- • Greater Tension: Missing your bid means zero points - no safety net!
- • Faster Games: Scores accumulate quicker, games end sooner
- • Skill Rewarded: Accurate bidding is crucial and highly rewarded
How It Works
When enabled, the first player to cross certain score thresholds earns bonus points:
✅ Bonus Rules
- • Only one player gets each milestone bonus
- • Bonuses awarded at end of each round
- • Creates exciting race dynamics!
⚠️ Tie-Breaking
- • If 2+ players cross in same round
- • Player with higher score gets bonus
- • Adds strategic depth to gameplay
What is Switch Hit?
Switch Hit lets any player change the displayed trump suit for a round. It's perfect for:
- • Matching your group's house rules or traditions
- • Personalizing the game experience
- • Adding a fun, customizable element
How to Use
- 1. Click any trump symbol (♣ ♦ ♥ ♠)
- 2. Select which player is switching
- 3. Choose new trump from dialog
- 4. See player's name with ⚡ indicator
Important Notes
- • ❌ No Trump (NT) rounds cannot be changed
- • ❌ Cannot switch TO No Trump
- • ✅ Only affects display, not scoring
- • ✅ Saved with your game progress
💡 Pro Tip: Track which players use Switch Hit most - the ⚡ icon appears next to their name!
| Feature | Standard | Enhanced |
|---|---|---|
| Exact Bid (3 tricks) | 13 points | 43 points |
| Missed Bid | Tricks won | 0 points |
| Milestone Bonuses | - | ✅ Optional |
| Switch Hit | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Best For | Traditional players | High-stakes fun |
🧠 Winning Strategies
Conservative Bidding
Bid slightly lower than your perceived strength. The 10-point bonus for exact bids often outweighs winning extra tricks.
Count Your Winners
Aces, Kings in non-trump suits, and high trump cards are usually reliable tricks.
Watch the Dealer
The dealer's forced bid can give you information about how the other bids will play out.
Lead Low, Win High
When leading, start with low cards to preserve your high cards for when you need to win tricks.
Trump Management
Use trump cards strategically. Don't waste them on tricks you were already winning.
Count Cards
Keep track of which high cards and trump cards have been played to better predict remaining tricks.
Bluffing
Your bidding confidence can influence other players' decisions.
Adaptation
Adjust your strategy based on round size and your position.
Reading Players
Watch for tells in bidding patterns and playing styles.
🎲 Popular Variations
Some variations include specific rounds where no trump suit is declared, making the game more challenging and strategic.
With 4 or 6 players, you can play in partnerships where teammates' scores are combined and they work together to achieve their bids.
In some variations, all players write down their bids simultaneously before revealing them, adding an extra layer of uncertainty.
Ready to Play Judgment?
Now that you know the rules, start a game and put your skills to the test!