others would be allowed to win bids. Slam: If, after picking up the kitty, a player who bid a seven-trick contract (but not over seven and not misère) feels that they could win all ten tricks, they may call for a slam hand. The partner of the player who calls for a slam passes a single card to their partner then folds their hand and does not play. The contractor who called for the slam hand must discard until they have only 10 cards remaining before starting play. The contractor must then win all ten tricks, or lose the point value of the bid, plus 100 points. Because the total value of the slam hand is the same as the value of a bid of eight in the same suit, it is not advantageous for a player to intentionally underbid a hand in order to make a slam bid. For a variation on the Slam rule, see the 'Variations in score keeping' section. Play The game focuses on tricks. The lead starts with the player who won the bidding. In some variations, the player to the dealer's left leads first regardless of who won the bid. Players must follow suit if they can (this includes the left bower or any other card that is considered a trump, if trump is led). If a player no longer has any cards of the suit that is led, they may play any card in their hand. After all four players have played a card, the highest trump takes the trick. If no trump is played, the highest card of the lead suit wins the trick. The winner of the trick leads on the next trick. Once all ten tricks have been played, the hand is scored. The player to the left of the previous dealer deals for the next hand, so that the deal moves clockwise around the table. Double nullo may be called by one partner even if the other partner passes. In this instance the player who calls nullo draws in his/her partner and both must play and not take any tricks. The person who calls double nullo picks up the kitty and gives the five cards he/she wants to discard to their partner. Their partner then must take those five cards and pick the ones he/she wants to keep and discard the rest. Variations Variations exist, with appropriate additions or