3rd. To take no tricks, there being no trump suit, and the three other players being opposed. This is called Misère, or Nullo.
4th. To win 9 of the 13 tricks against the three other players combined; the single player to name the trump suit. This is called Abundance.
5th. To win 9 of the 13 tricks against the three other players combined, with the trump suit that is turned up. This is called Abundance in Trumps.
6th. To take no tricks, there being no trump suit, and the three other players being opposed; the single player’s cards being exposed face up on the table after the first trick is complete. This is called Misère sur table, or A Spread.
7th. To win all 13 tricks against the three other players combined; the single player to name the trump suit, and to have the original lead whether eldest hand or not. This is called Abundance Déclarée, or A Slam.
While the object of the proposing player is to win or lose the declared number of tricks, that of his adversaries is to prevent him from doing so, if possible. There are no honours, and the only factor in the count is the number of tricks actually taken. The highest card played of the suit led wins the trick, and trumps, if any, win against all other suits.
METHOD OF DECLARING. The eldest hand has the first say, and after examining his cards he may make any of the several propositions just enumerated. The smallest proposal he can make is to take 8 tricks with the assistance of a partner. To do this he should have four reasonably sure tricks in his own hand. Some players say he should be strong in trumps; while others claim that the eldest hand should propose only on general strength. The former is the better plan. No other player should propose on trumps alone. This announcement is made by saying “I propose.” If a player thinks he can take five tricks against the combined efforts of the three other players, he announces: “Solo.” If he feels equal to a misère, he calls: “Misère;” and so on, according to the strength of his hand. If he does not feel justified in making a call, he says “I pass;” and the next player on his left has the opportunity; and so on, until some player has proposed to do something, or all have passed.
If any player has proposed for a partner, any of the others, in their proper turn, may accept him by simply saying “I accept.” By so doing, a player intimates that he has four probable tricks also, but in the plain suits, and that he is willing to try for eight tricks with the proposer for a partner. All the other calls are made by a single player with the intention of playing against the three others. Any player except the eldest hand having once said, “I pass,” cannot afterwards make or accept any proposal. The eldest hand, after passing once, can accept a proposal, but he cannot make one.
It is the custom in some places, when no one will make a proposal of any sort, to turn down the trump, and play the hands without any trump suit, each man for himself, the winner of the last trick losing to each of the others the value of a solo. This is called a Grand.
RANK OF THE PROPOSALS. The various calls outrank one another in the order in which we have given them. If one player says, “I propose,” and another calls “Solo,” the solo call shuts out the proposal, even though it has been accepted by a second player. The call of a misère would in turn shut out a solo; abundance would take precedence of misère; and abundance in trumps would be a better call than simple abundance. The slam of course outranks all other bids. This making of a better proposition than one already made is known as “Over-calling.”