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When to call trump

Calling trump is the biggest decision in a hand, and you make it holding only six of your nine cards. Here's one way to think about it. Rules of thumb, not laws. Ask four Cape Bretoners and you'll get five opinions.

What you're actually promising

Call a suit and your team has to finish ahead of the other side. With no runs in play, that's 82 of the 162 points. If you land on exactly 81, it's a half-bait and you score nothing. If you fall short, it's a bait, and everything your team took goes to them.

So a call is a real bet. It's worth knowing what a good hand looks like before you make it.

What to look for in your six

• The Jack of the suit. It's the top trump and it's worth 20.
• The 9 to go with it. Jack and 9 together are the two best trump and 34 points between them.
• Length. Three or more trump means you'll still have some when the others run dry.
• Aces and 10s on the side. They're worth 11 and 10 and can win tricks on their own, as long as nobody trumps in first.
• A run. A twenty or a fifty is bonus points, and it counts if your team wins the run contest.

What to be wary of

• One big card on its own. A single trump, even the Jack, only wins you one trick. You want company.
• Dry tens. A 10 with nothing else in its suit is an easy catch for the Ace.
• Hoping the kitty fixes it. The last three cards might help and they might not. Call the hand you can see.
• Leaning on your partner. You don't know what they're holding yet. If you can't make your call without them, think twice.

When you're forced

If the bidding comes all the way around and you're the dealer, you can't pass. Name the suit you hold the most of, and lean toward the one with the Jack or the 9 if you have either. Then play to take good tricks and let your partner help. Being forced is no shame, and a forced bait gets a little sympathy at most tables.

Check the score first

Early in a race to 500, a bait is a setback. Near the finish it can hand the other side the game. A half-bait costs you less than a bait, since the other team only keeps its own points. Know what the scoreboard is asking of you before you call.