Forty-fives - Common Variations

Common Variations

• Teams: Three teams of two players(partner sit across from each other) a bid of 15 is the min. unless 95, the bid is twenty. each player receives their original 5 card and the kitty is placed in the middle. an additional three cards is dealt out to all players to be picked up after trump has been called. All cards have been dealt and before the play starts each player should only have 5 cards in their hand.
• Teams: Two teams of two players (teammates play in alternating positions with the opposing team so that teammates are not next to each other) play and combine their scores. When the game is played without teams, it is referred to as cut-throat.
• Six players: Two teams of three are formed with alternating players being partners. Each player is dealt five cards initially. Then, three cards are dealt to each player (these cannot be viewed before making bids) and four cards to the kitty. Each player makes their bids using the initial five cards and after the winning bidder announces the trump suit, each player uses their initial hand and the second set of three cards to make the best five card hand. The four cards in the kitty goes to the winning bidder to aid in making his best five card hand. Tricks taken by teammates are combined when scoring at the end of a round.
• Twenty Five: No bonus is given for the bonus trick.
• 30-for-60: Without looking at one's cards one must call 30-for-60. It is the same as bidding 30 regularly but a player bidding 30-for-60 would get 60 points should they win all the tricks and drop 30 points (as normal) should they lose any tricks.
• Slam: Basically the same as 30-for-60, but the player would get 120 points for winning all tricks and lose 60 if they fail to win all the tricks. A player may Slam at any time after looking at their five cards.