Best for four
Four players, mostly two against two: partnership games where reading your partner matters as much as the cards you hold.
- #1 Doppelkopf Germany's favourite four-player game – two against two, but nobody knows who is on which side until the Queens of Clubs show up. Two against two – but nobody knows who is on which side until the Queens of Clubs show up.
- #2 Bridge The king of partnership games – bid what you and your partner can make, then bring it home with half your cards on the table. Bidding and card play in perfect balance; with a regular four it will fill decades of evenings.
- #3 Spades Spades are always trumps – bid your tricks with your partner, make them, and don't collect too many bags. Spades are always trumps and you bid as a team – easy to start, and the bags keep everyone honest.
- #4 Euchre Kitchen-table fun from the Midwest – order up trumps, trust your bowers and take three of five tricks, or go it alone for four points. Order up trumps, trust your bowers and take three of five tricks – fast and sociable kitchen-table play.
- #5 Hearts Pass your dangerous cards on, dodge every heart and the Queen of Spades – or grab them all and shoot the moon. Four is the classic count: pass left, right, across or not at all, and everyone plays for themselves.
- #6 Jass (Schieber) Switzerland's national game – choose trumps or shove the choice to your partner, then meld, take tricks and count your way to 2500. Switzerland's national game: name trumps or shove the choice to your partner, then meld and count to 2500.
- #7 Guandan Two decks, four jokers and a wild Heart – team up, climb the levels from 2 to Ace and smash your bombs on the table. Two decks, four jokers and a wild Heart – a team climbing game where you rise from 2 to Ace together.
- #8 Mus The Basque bluffing game – four cards, four contests, secret signals to your partner and one word that stakes everything: órdago! The Basque bluffing game: four cards, four contests, secret signals to your partner – and one word that stakes everything.
- #9 Canasta Uruguay's gift to the world – build seven-card canastas with your partner, freeze the pile, take it at the right moment and reach 5000. Build seven-card canastas with your partner and pick the right moment to take the pile – a long, sociable evening.
- #10 Kemps Swap cards from the middle, collect four of a kind and give your partner the secret sign – before the others crack your code. Collect four of a kind and give your partner a secret sign before the others crack your code.