The appearance of bidding and tricks in bridge are some of the aspects that help the game to stand out from others played with a card deck. Tournament poker players don’t count the tricks in their hand.

But the trick isn’t exclusive to bridge.

Sometimes also referred to as the “pack”, the trick also makes an appearance in more than a handful of other card games out there.

Here’s what you should know about tricks elsewhere, and four other trick-takers.

The trick in card games

Bridge in all its different forms is defined as a trick-taking game.

Most people are familiar with at least one variety of trick-taker. Hearts, spades, whist, and contract bridge are all counted. When the card game involves each player placing a card (and the winner getting the “trick”), it’s likely to fit this definition.

Wikipedia defines a trick-taking game as:

“A trick-taking game is a card or tile-based game in which play of a hand centres on a series of finite rounds or units of play, called tricks […]”

What other trick-takers can you think of?

Other uses for the word

The term “trick” has other uses outside of cards.

Playing a trick on someone implies misleading the recipient. Card or coin tricks are derived from this, and not all types of “tricks” are malicious in nature. Halloween has the associated tradition of “trick-or-treat” in some parts of the world.

Then, there are “trick shots” in some games. When things are difficult or impressive to achieve, we refer to them as “tricky”.

A “trick” also has an additional, pejorative meaning: it can be used to refer to a prostitute, common in older English writing. Saying that one “turns a trick” is related to this usage of the word.

Exploring four other trick-takers

Here’s a look at four other games you might not have known are trick-takers:

1. Snap

Snap is one of the simplest card games, and the first many people are taught. The turn-based aspect of the game which gives each player their trick to beat the others’ cards is what makes it classify as a trick-taker.

2. Rage

Rage is a trading-card game released in 1983, using a custom deck with added cards – but used to introduce the concept of tricks (and winning them) as a TCG instead.

Some of the extra cards included Out-Rage (discarding the trump suit), Bonus-Rage (a won trick, plus 5 points), or Wild-Rage (a presumable wild-card for an automatically won trick).

Creative… But did anyone ever move from playing Rage to bridge?

3. Euchre

Euchre is often mentioned in the same breath as bridge. Tricks are the same, though bidding does not exist. Many people learn to play it with their family members or friends before they ever hear of bridge.

Once an opponent has been beaten, they have been “euchred”. Much like the word trick, it’s made it into common usage outside the card game to mean someone who has been duped or deceived into something.

Detailed rules for Euchre are available from Bicycle Cards‘ official website if you don’t recall or haven’t played it yet.

4. Thunee

Thunee is a uniquely South African card game, with origins rooted in Durban. The first World Championship for the game was held in 2003, in Pietermaritzburg, KZN, South Africa.

The aspect of bidding is included here, but with the aspect of being able to bid “blind”. In this case, bids are taken before players are sure of their cards.

Rules are available online for card players who have never encountered this game before.