Bidding
The auction decides who becomes declarer for the deal. Each player, in turn, either raises the bid or passes. The last remaining player in the auction wins it.
Order of bidding
Bidding starts with forehand (left of the dealer) and proceeds clockwise.
Opening bid
The first bidder must bid at least 100 or pass. (Some tables allow forehand to "force" the auction by opening at 100 even with no intention to play — see House Rules.)
Bid increments
Each new bid must be higher than the previous bid, in steps of:
- 5 points if the current bid is below 200, or
- 10 points at any time.
In practice almost everyone bids in steps of 10.
Passing
A player who passes is out of the auction for the rest of the deal. They cannot re-enter.
When the auction ends
The auction ends as soon as two players have passed. The last remaining bidder is the declarer at that bid.
Maximum opening bid
Without seeing the talon, no player may bid above 120 in the first round of the auction. A higher bid implicitly relies on cards a player cannot yet see and is reserved for the Raise phase after the declarer has seen the talon.
A typical opening at 100 promises:
- One reliable trump suit (4+ cards), or
- A marriage (King + Queen of any suit).
A first-round bid of 120 promises strong cards: a long trump suit or a high marriage (♥ or ♦). See Strategy for more.
Worked example
| Player | Bid |
|---|---|
| Forehand | 100 |
| Middlehand | 110 |
| Rearhand | pass |
| Forehand | 120 |
| Middlehand | pass |
Forehand wins the auction at 120 and becomes declarer.
Next: the Talon.