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Six-bid solo, six bid solo or just six-bid for short, is a trick-taking, card game from the western United States for 3 players and is often associated with Salt Lake City. It is a member of the German Tarok group of games that originated in an attempt to play a tarot card game with standard, non-tarot cards. Six-bid solo itself is a variant of frog, a game very similar to south German Tapp, the Swabian version of German Tarok.
Beginning with eldest, players may pass or bid for one of the six games listed below. Players may not change their announced bid unless overcalled in which case they must immediately raise or pass. The winner of the auction becomes the 'bidder' or 'player' and the widow counts to him or her at the end, except in Misère. The games are shown below in ascending order:
Some rules rename Guarantee Solo and Spread Misère to Guarantee and Spread respectively.Gibson (1993), pp. 309–311 In a Spread Misère, the bidder's hand is laid down, face up, after the other two players have played their first card. In a Call Solo, if the called card is sleeping in the widow, there is no exchange.
Three to five may play. This time there are five contracts. Frog is retained and there were four suit solos ranking, in ascending order, , , and . Players bid in rotation and must initially pass or bid any contract. Once a bid is made, subsequent players must pass, double or overcall. A player whose bid is overcalled may double or raise when the bidding comes around again, otherwise must pass. Any doubling is only between the bidder and the doubler and is cancelled if the current contract is overcalled. A player who has been doubled may redouble when the turn comes around again. Once all bar one have passed, the player left in becomes the 'bidder' and must play the highest contract announced. In a Frog, the bidder picks up and exchanges with the widow before laying away the three discards, face down, to one side. In any solo, the widow is untouched. In either case, the widow cards count towards the bidder's score at the end of play.
To win, the bidder must then take at least 60 card points in tricks and the widow. If successful, the bidder is paid by each opponent for each point above 60; if unsuccessful, the bidder pays them each the same amount. The tariffs, which are multiplied by any doubling or redoubling, are shown in the summary table below:
In addition, there may be two pots – one for Frog and one for the Solos – to which players ante an agreed amount each deal. Pennycook specifies the same stake for each pot; HSG states that the solo pot receives a double stake from each player.
'''Six-bid''' or '''American solo''' Name of contract Bidder's aim Trumps Game value ''Solo'' Take at least 60 points. 1 counter/point ''Heart Solo'' Take at least 60 points. 2 counters/point ''Misère'' Take no points. None 40 counters ''Guarantee Solo'' Take at least 74 () or 80 points ( ) Any 40 counters ''Spread Misère'' Take no points. Player left of bidder leads and bidder plays ouvert from the 2nd trick onwards. None 60 counters ''Call Solo'' Take all 120 points. First, bidder calls for a card and its holder must exchange it with the bidder. Any 100 counters ( )
150 counters ()
Play
Except in Spread, eldest leads any card to the first trick and play proceeds clockwise, each player playing one card. Players must follow suit if able; otherwise must trump if able. If they can neither follow nor trump they may discard. There is no requirement to head the trick. The trick winner collects the trick and lays it away face down before leading to the next trick.
Scoring
Scoring is as per the table above. If the game is won, the bidder is paid the game value by each active opponent; if lost, the bidder pays the same to each player at the table including the dealer if there are four players.
Progressive solo
Another variant of frog that emerged at the same time as six-bid was progressive solo, later also called Denver progressive solo or Denver solo.Pennycook (1982), pp. 286–287 The 1940 Official Rules subtitle progressive solo as the "Denver Athletic Club variation" without substantiating the statement. Official Rules (1940), pp. 201–206. Its rules were last recorded in the 1980s so it may now be extinct. Pennycook describes it as a "simple, yet skilful, game." The rules are as for Six-Bid, except where stated.
'''Progressive Solo''' or '''Denver Solo''' Name of contract Exchange with widow Suits Tariff (counters/point) 20px]]''Frog'' Yes only 1 ''Spade solo'' No 2 ''Club solo'' No 3 ''Diamond solo'' No 4 ''Heart solo'' No 5
Footnotes
Literature
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