How to Play 500: Rules, Bid Table, Joker and Scoring
Five Hundred (500) is the national card game of Australia and New Zealand: a partnership trick-taking game with bidding, a kitty, and the Joker on top of the trumps. These are the standard Australian rules – the same ones the app uses.
Players and cards
Four players, partners sitting opposite. The pack has 43 cards: A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 in the red suits, A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 in the black suits, and one Joker. Each player gets 10 cards and three go face down to the kitty.
Trumps and the bowers
When a suit is trumps, the highest trump is the Joker, then the Jack of trumps (the right bower), then the other Jack of the same colour (the left bower), then A K Q 10 9 … The Joker and the left bower count as trumps for following suit, so the suit of the same colour has no Jack.
| Hearts are trumps | Rank |
|---|---|
| Joker | 1 |
| J♥ (right bower) | 2 |
| J♦ (left bower) | 3 |
| A♥ K♥ Q♥ 10♥ 9♥ … 4♥ | 4–13 |
Bidding
Starting left of the dealer, each player bids or passes. A bid names a number of tricks (six to ten) and a trump suit or no trumps, or a misère (lose every trick, partner sits out) or open misère (the same, hand face up after the first trick). Every bid must be higher than the last: more tricks, or the same number in a higher suit – spades, clubs, diamonds, hearts, no trumps. A pass is final. Misère may only be called after someone has bid seven; open misère can be called any time. If everyone passes, the cards are thrown in.
The bid table
| Tricks | ♠ | ♣ | ♦ | ♥ | No trumps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 | 120 |
| 7 | 140 | 160 | 180 | 200 | 220 |
| 8 | 240 | 260 | 280 | 300 | 320 |
| 9 | 340 | 360 | 380 | 400 | 420 |
| 10 | 440 | 460 | 480 | 500 | 520 |
| Misère 250 (ranks between 7NT and 8♠) · Open misère 500 (between 10♦ and 10♥) | |||||
The kitty
The winning bidder picks up the three kitty cards and puts any three cards face down. The contractor then leads to the first trick.
Playing the hand
Follow suit if you can; otherwise play anything. The highest trump wins the trick, or the highest card of the suit led when no trump is played. The winner leads next. In a misère the contractor's partner takes no part.
The Joker in no trumps
The contractor may nominate a suit for the Joker before the first lead; it is then the highest card of that suit. A Joker that was not nominated belongs to no suit: it may only be played when you cannot follow the suit led (in a misère you must play it then), and it may be led while calling a suit that has not been led before – the others must follow that suit. Once all four suits have been led, the Joker can only be led to the last trick.
Scoring
Make the contract and your side scores its value from the table; fail and you lose that many points. The other side scores 10 points for every trick it wins (nothing in a misère). All ten tricks on a bid worth less than 250 scores 250 – a slam. Misère scores ±250, open misère ±500.
Winning the game
The first side to reach 500 points by making a contract wins. Reaching 500 on odd tricks does not count – you must bid and make it. A side at −500 or worse loses: that is going "out the back door".
Three- and six-handed 500
Three players use 33 cards (7 up plus the Joker); the contractor plays alone and everyone keeps their own score. Six players use the 63-card pack with 11s and 12s in every suit and 13s in the red suits, in two teams of three.
Play 500 free – no ads, Daily 500FAQ
How many cards are in a 500 pack?
43 for four players: the 2s, 3s and black 4s are removed from a standard pack and the Joker is added. Three players use 33 cards, six players the special 63-card pack with 11s, 12s and 13s.
What is the left bower in 500?
The Jack of the same colour as the trump suit. It is the third-highest trump after the Joker and the right bower, and it counts as a trump for following suit.
When can you bid misère in 500?
In the usual Australian rules only after someone has bid at least seven tricks. Misère ranks above every seven bid and below eight spades, and scores 250. Open misère (500) can be bid at any time.
How do you win a game of 500?
Reach 500 points or more by making a contract. Points from odd tricks alone do not win. A side that drops to −500 loses, which is called going out the back door.
What does ten tricks score in 500?
If the bid was worth less than 250 points, taking all ten tricks scores 250 instead. On a bigger bid, such as eight clubs or more, you simply score the bid.
Can I play 500 offline without ads?
Yes – Five Hundred: 500 Card Game plays offline against fair computer players, with no ads at all.
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