How to Play 56
56 is a six-player team trick-taking game. Bid for a target, choose a trump plan, then win enough card points in 8 tricks to make your contract.
1. The Table
Your partners are every other seat. Seats 1, 3, and 5 are one team; seats 2, 4, and 6 are the other.
The game uses two copies of these 24 card types: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, and 9 in each suit.
For winning a trick, rank order is:
Jack > 9 > Ace > 10 > King > Queen
Jacks and 9s are powerful because they are high rank and carry points.
2. The Flow of a Hand
Deal
Everyone gets 8 cards. In this app, empty seats are filled by AI bots.
Bid
Players take turns calling a number from 28 to 56 and a suit, No Trump, Hold, or No Suit.
Play 8 Tricks
The auction opener leads trick 1. After that, each trick winner leads the next trick.
Score
The bidding team must collect at least the bid amount in card points.
3. Bidding Made Simple
A bid says: “My team can win at least this many card points.” Every new numeric bid must raise the current high bid.
4. Trick Play
- The first card in a trick sets the lead suit.
- If you have that suit, you must play that suit.
- If you do not have it, you may play any card.
- If a trump card is played, the highest trump wins the trick.
When a trump card is played in the app, it sparkles so you can see the cut immediately.
5. Winning and Scoring
If your team wins the bid at 34, your team must collect 34 or more card points from tricks.
Each team starts with base points. Making a contract increases your base and reduces the opponent’s base. Failing does the opposite.
The match ends when one team’s base is depleted. The other team wins the match.
| Bid Amount | If Made | If Set / Failed |
|---|---|---|
| 28-39 | +1 base | -2 base |
| 40-47 | +2 base | -3 base |
| 48-55 | +3 base | -4 base |
| 56 | +4 base | -5 base |
6. Walkthrough Exercise: Choosing Diamonds
This practice hand shows how Team 1 should listen to partner signals, settle on Diamonds, and then count points while playing the contract. Team 1 is seats 1, 3, and 5. Team 2 is seats 2, 4, and 6.
Key lesson: Kutta should not raise with Hold just to keep bidding alive. Aliya can show Diamonds, Kutta can support with J♦, and KJ can confirm with 9♦ plus length.
Diamonds are trump. The goal is not just to win tricks, but to keep count of Jacks, 9s, Aces, and 10s. The green-outlined card wins each trick.
Trick 1 Team 1 +4
KJ leads J♣ to win first and keep control.
Trick 2 Team 1 +3
KJ leads K♦. Kutta spends J♦ to take control for Team 1.
Trick 3 Team 1 +8
Kutta leads A♦. Aliya catches with J♦ while both 9♦ cards are flushed.
Trick 4 Team 1 +6
Aliya leads J♠ and watches KJ play K♠, showing KJ has no higher Spade.
Trick 5 Team 1 +8
Aliya leads 10♠. KJ has no Spades left and cuts with 10♦.
Trick 6 Team 2 +8
KJ leads A♣, but Kasi still has J♣ and takes the trick for Team 2.
Trick 7 Team 2 +9
Kasi leads 10♥. Ragu catches with J♥ instead of opening a suit that may be cut.
Trick 8 Team 1 +10
Team 1 uses the remaining Diamonds to stop Team 2 and collect the last points.
Lesson: 33 Diamonds is safe because Team 1 controls enough trump and side Jacks. A jump to 40 Diamonds is not safe here because Aliya still has about three weak losing cards.
7. How to Use This App
- Go home, enter your name, and create or join a table.
- Click Start Game. The app fills empty seats with bots.
- During bidding, follow the turn banner. If it says “Your bid,” choose your call.
- During play, the app highlights your turn. Play a card from your hand.
- After each trick, read who won, then tap Clear trick.
- At the end, review whether the bidding team made the contract, then ready for the next hand.
Beginner Strategy
Bid when you have power
Jacks, 9s, Aces, and several cards in one suit are reasons to consider bidding.
Listen to partners
Your partners’ suit bids and No Suit signals help your team choose the best contract.
Protect points
If your partner is winning a trick, feed point cards. If opponents are winning, avoid giving away points.