trick-taking purposes. Another variant is Oxford Whist. This game is solely for three players and originated in Oxford Road, Bootle, which is how the name was derived. It is played in the same way as Ninety-nine as far as discarding 3 cards to determine the number of tricks required. This version differs in three ways: All three discards always remain face down. A maximum of 10 points is awarded to any player who wins the declared number of tricks. The leftover cards (2s to 5s) are shuffled and placed in a face-down stock. Before each deal, the top card is turned over to determine trumps. The game is over when the 'trump stock' is used up, i.e. 20 deals. The player with the highest score wins. Strategy A key to playing ninety-nine well is discarding cards wisely to make a bid. In the two- and three-handed games, three cards must be discarded from twelve, resulting in 220 different options. Players must estimate what will happen to each of the cards they retain, and need to consider important factors such as what suit is trump and who will lead first. Players often want to get rid of "middle" cards, cards that are neither likely winners nor likely losers, and may want to "void" themselves of a suit since, once they have no card in a suit, they are free to play any other card if that suit is led. One of the most common bids is three, and one of the next most common bids is zero. Diamonds and spades are more likely to be discarded as bid cards than other suits. There will be fewer in play and these suits are less valuable. Few clubs tend to be discarded, making high clubs likely winners. If a hand is unbiddable and the cards needed to bid with are the cards needed for play, one strategy is to discard surprising cards such as all high cards of a given suit. The player doesn't intend to make the bid, and hopes to make it hard for anyone else to make their bids. Often players want to gain the lead early and play their most uncertain cards first. If they win tricks, they can try to throw away some other strong cards. If the uncertain cards lose, they can try to pick up tricks with stronger cards. References Parlett, David. Card Games. 1999. External