How to Choose Trump in Court Piece
The trump caller sees only five of their thirteen cards. The choice they make decides much of the hand.
A simple scoring method
For each suit in your five cards, score 3 points per card, plus 1 for a 10, 2 for a Jack, 3 for a Queen, 4 for a King, 5 for an Ace. Choose the highest-scoring suit. (This is roughly how Cheettukali's computer players choose.)
Examples
A♠ 7♠ K♥ 9♥ 4♣ → spades 3+3+5 = 11, hearts 3+3+4 = 10. Choose spades, narrowly.
Q♦ 9♦ 6♦ A♣ K♠ → diamonds 9+3 = 12, clubs 8, spades 7. Choose diamonds: three trumps beat one Ace.
Things to remember
- Eight more cards are coming, so you're betting on length. Three cards of a suit in five is a strong hint you'll have four or five of them.
- A side-suit Ace is a winner whatever trump you choose, so it doesn't need to be trump.
- If you have nothing good, choose the longest suit anyway: more trumps mean more control.
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FAQ
How many cards do you see before choosing trump in Court Piece?
Five.
Should I choose the suit with my Ace as trump?
Not necessarily. Length matters more: an Ace wins in any suit, but three trumps give you control.