Everything you need to know about Call Break Game

Card games are very popular in India. They have become a mandatory ritual in social gatherings and during festive seasons. People from all age groups gather for a wonderful game of cards. In this way, they can showcase their skills and socialize with their friends and family. Moreover, card games like rummy, call break, and teen patti can help you relieve stress and improve your cognitive abilities.

Among all, call break is a common card game played all over the world. It is a variation of Spades’ game that involves tricks and bidding. Also known as Lakdi, this strategic game is played among 4 players. It is available online and players can enjoy single and multiplayer options.

Call Break card games are popular in South Asian countries like India and Nepal. The origin of the game can be traced back to 100 years ago. It is known by different names like Call Bridge, Lakadi, and Spades. The rules of each game are slightly different from others. However, the basic objective of the game remains the same. 

Call break is a simple card game and very fun to play. Let’s explore everything about the game below –

Traditional Card Setup in Call Break Game

Call break is a trick-taking game and each player has to secure a maximum number of tricks or bid to win the game. As the game is played among 4 players, each of them will get 13 cards and have to play 5 rounds. Call Break is exhausting as compared to its sibling card games.

In this game, a standard deck of 52 cards is used and Spades is the trump card. Also, other suits do not hold any value unless trumped by a Spades card. The ranking of cards from highest to lowest is as follows – Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2.  

What is the Objective of the Call Break Game?

The objective of the call break is to win the highest number of bids or tricks called at the beginning of the game. Suppose, you called 5 tricks when the game began, then you will have to win 5 or 6 bids to progress to the next round. If the bids secured are less than 5 then you will get -5 points for the round.

How to Play Call Break Game?

The call break game rules are simple and straightforward. The game is played counter-clockwise and begins with a dealer who deals cards to other players. 

Dealer – In every game, one of the players on the table is a dealer. It is chosen at random and it keeps passing to the next player in an entire game. The dealing is done anti-clockwise until all the players get 13 cards. 

Trump – In a call break game, spades are a predefined trump suit and it cannot be changed in any game.

The Call – Also known as bid, the call starts with a player sitting to the right of the dealer. It continues in an anti-clockwise direction. Basically, the calls are nothing but the numbers that depict the number of tricks called by a player to win the game. As per the game, the lowest call is 1 and the highest is 12. It is mandatory for every player to make at least 1 call. 

The Gameplay – The player to the right of the dealer makes the first trick with any random card of his choice. As the game progresses, other players on the table can outplay their opponents by throwing a card of higher value in the same suit as the lead card. If a player is unable to follow the suit, then they can use a trump card i.e. Spades to win the trick. In case of no trump card, he/she can throw a lower value card of the same suit and continue playing the game. The player who wins the round will be the first player in subsequent rounds.

Suppose, you are the first player and you played 9 of hearts and the player next to you played 10 of hearts to win the trick. However, the game will change if the third player on the table throws a 3 of spades. This card acts as a trump suit. Nonetheless, it can be trumped by throwing a higher value trump card which is 4 of spades in this case. 

How scores are calculated in a Call Break Game?

In a call break game, you have to secure as many tricks as they called at the beginning of the game. If you take fewer tricks than the call, you will lose points equal to the call. On the other hand, if you secure bids more than or equal to the call, you will get points equal to the call + 0.1 points for extra bids. 

Hope this information will help you choose the right card game for you! This game is also available online! Now don’t wait for someone to join the game, download call break game app, and play challenging games!