45s questions and answers

It comes from an Irish game, Forty-five, played to 45 points. The Canadian and New England auction version kept the name and the card order but plays to 120.

The 5 of trumps is. The other three 5s are ordinary number cards in their suits. See card rankings.

Yes. Whatever suit is named, the A♥ is the third-best trump, after the 5 and jack of trumps. It never counts as a heart.

When trump is led, you must play a trump if you can (unless you can renege). When a plain suit is led, most tables say you must follow suit or play a trump, your choice. Some tables let you play anything. Agree before you start.

Then you can play any card: a trump to try to win the trick, or a card you don't need.

The dealer is bagged: they take the lowest bid (usually 15) and must play it.

Tables differ. Some allow it, some require the dealer to bid higher than a partner. Settle it before you play.

At most tables, no. You must hold at least one card of the suit you name, and the ace of hearts only counts toward hearts.

Then there's no best-trump bonus and the hand is only worth 25 points. With five cards each after the draw, it almost never happens.

Yes. Being set can put you "in the hole". Many tables let a team in the hole bid 60 for 120.

The team that won the bid wins the game.

The over-100 rule: once you have 100, you only score by winning the bid.

Usually four. Some tables use three, and some play without one.

As many as you like, all five if you want, with four players. With five or six players the deck runs short, so there's a limit. See running out of cards.

Yes, two to six. See 2, 3, 5 or 6 players.

They're close relatives with the same top trumps (5, jack, ace of hearts). Twenty-five and Spoil Five have no bidding. Auction 45s adds the auction, the kitty and the draw.