Team Play In Trick-Taking Card Games

 an enchanting gameplay, great accessibility — anyone can play them —, and interesting scoring schemes and card combinations. But what really makes these games stand out from others is the way they engage players and allow them to cooperate with each other.    

Partnership

Fundamental for the bulk of trick-taking games, partnership is a key element in Whist and Klaverjas. On the other hand, a minority of games that fall into this category do not allow team play. Instead they make players compete against each other. But we are not interested in these so we will take a better look at games in which partnership is essential.

Many games are typically played in four with players who sit opposite to each other forming a team. Bridge, Whist, and Klaverjas use this system.

Other games, such as Klaverjassen, are more flexible and they allow players to play either on their own or to partner with others. In general, when played in three, each player is on his own. Teams consist of two players and are formed when there are four or six players at the table. 

In contract games things are quite different, even if team play still is important. The contractor plays independently against the other players at the table who are joined into a team, regardless of the total number of players.

Some trick-taking card games promote a unique form of team play which creates partnerships only after the game has begun. For example, in some variations of Schafkopf two players who hold the black Queens can become partners. Special rules apply when the same player holds both cards.

In a similar manner, in many contractor games the player who wins the first round (takes the trick) or the player who has in his hand a certain card, joins up with the contractor.

The flexibility of some trick-taking games, such as Pinochle, is especially highlighted when it comes to partnership: if there are few players (typically under three) at the table then each is on his own but if there are four players in total then teams are formed.

Partnership is an important concept in many trick-taking card games which adds depth to the game play. It's one of the main qualities this family of card games has.