Napoleon — The Secret Partner Trick-Taking Game

Auction: Make Your Bid

Current Highest Bid: None

Contract Tricks (6 to 13):

Trump Suit:

Your Bid: 7 ♠

The Core Twist: Napoleon is a 4-player trick-taking game with secret 2-vs-2 partnerships. Every hand begins with an asymmetric mystery: only the Secretary knows the full truth! Napoleon knows which card is allied, but doesn't know who holds it. The Defenders start in total darkness.

👑 Napoleon

How Chosen: The highest bidder in the pre-play auction.

Chooses the Trump Suit for the hand.
Calls a specific Secretary Card (their secret ally).
Always leads the very first trick of the hand (may lead trumps!).
Must combine tricks with the Secretary to reach the bid.

🕵️ The Secretary

How Chosen: The secret holder of the card called by Napoleon.

Knows their loyalty immediately at the start of the deal.
Secretly works to help Napoleon make the contract.
Wields game-altering superpowers with the called card!
Identity is officially revealed the moment the called card is played.

🛡️ The Defenders (Opponents)

The other two players. They don't know who each other are at first, but must deduce true loyalties and combine forces to prevent Napoleon and the Secretary from reaching their bid.

💡 Objective: Total 13 tricks per deal. Napoleon & Secretary win if their combined tricks ≥ the bid. If the defenders win enough tricks to prevent this, the contract is set!

Bidding starts to the dealer's left and proceeds clockwise. Every bid consists of [Trick Count] + [Trump Suit] (e.g. 7 ♠ or 8 ♥).

Suit Hierarchy for Bidding (Lowest to Highest)

♣ Clubs Lowest

➔

♦ Diamonds Rank 2

➔

♥ Hearts Rank 3

➔

♠ Spades Highest

To outbid the current high bid:
• Bid a higher suit at the same trick level (e.g., 7 ♠ beats 7 ♥).
• Or bid a higher trick count with any suit (e.g., 8 ♣ beats 7 ♠).

📢 Bidding Range & Passing

Minimum Bid: 6 tricks (e.g. 6 ♣).
Maximum Bid: 13 tricks. 13 ♠ ends the auction instantly!
Open Auction: Passing does not lock you out! If another player raises, you can bid again on your next turn.
Auction End: Concludes once an opening bid is followed by 3 consecutive passes.

⚠️ Stick the Dealer

If the first three players all pass without placing a bid, the dealer cannot pass!

The dealer is "stuck" and is forced to open the bidding with a legal bid (at least 6 of any suit).

Standard trick-taking rules apply with one spectacular exception: The Secretary Card is the Ultimate Trump.

🏆

1. Absolute Trick Superiority

The Secretary Card always wins the trick automatically, beating every card in the deck—including the highest card of the led suit and any trump card (even the Ace of trumps!).

⚡

2. Playable at Any Time

The Secretary can drop this card on any trick, even while still holding other cards that match the led suit.

🛡️

3. Exempt from Following Suit

The Secretary never has to play this card just to follow suit, even if it is the only card of that suit left in their hand.

♠

Leading the Secretary Card

If the Secretary leads this card to a trick, it is treated as though the trump suit was led. All other players must follow suit with trumps if they hold any!

Standard Trick Play Rules

Must Follow Suit: Players must follow the suit that is led if they hold any cards of that suit.
Void in Suit: If you have no cards in the led suit, you may play any card (ruff with trump, or discard a side card).
Trick Winner: Highest card of led suit wins, unless trumped. Highest trump wins unless the Secretary Card is played. The winner of each trick leads the next trick.

All-or-Nothing Scoring: Individual scores are tracked independently because partnerships shift every deal.

Outcome	Napoleon & Secretary	Defenders
Contract Made (Alliance ≥ Bid)	+ Bid Points each (e.g. Made 8 ♠ = +8 pts each)	0 Points
Contract Set (Defenders defeat bid)	0 Points	+ Bid Points each (e.g. Set 8 ♠ = +8 pts each)

⚠️ Overtricks Award ZERO Bonus Points: Winning 10 tricks on an 8-bid still awards only 8 points! Always bid on-target to maximize your score.

🔍 Napoleon's "Probe Lead"

Leading an Ace early reveals little table information. Shrewd Napoleons often lead a Jack or Queen early to observe:

Opponents will eagerly jump with a King or Ace.
The Secretary will often duck to preserve high cards.

⏳ Secretary Timing

Preserve the Mystery: Don't play the Secretary Card too early! Keeping your identity secret forces defenders to compete against each other and waste high cards.

🗡️ The "Solo Napoleon" Gambit

Napoleon can deliberately call a card they already hold in their own hand!
• Payoff: If Napoleon makes the contract alone, Napoleon takes all the points exclusively (+Bid points to Napoleon, 0 to everyone else).
• Downside: If set, all three opponents receive full bid points!