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Download on Google Play- 2-7 players, deal 5 cards each.
- Bid 1-5 tricks or pass.
- Highest bidder plays alone.
- Bidder leads, setting trump with first card.
- Follow suit if possible.
- Highest trump or led-suit card wins.
- Make bid: opponents pay bid amount.
- Fail: pay each opponent bid amount.
Rules
Nap (Napoleon) is a classic British card game where players bid to win tricks, with the highest bidder playing alone against the rest. Simple, fast, and great for casual play.
Objective
As the bidder, win at least the number of tricks you bid. As a defender, prevent the bidder from succeeding.
Setup
- Players: 2-7 players.
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck.
- Deal: Deal 5 cards to each player.
Gameplay
- Step 1: Starting left of the dealer, each player bids 1-5 tricks or passes. The highest bid wins.
- Step 2: The bidder leads the first trick. The suit of the first card led becomes the trump suit.
- Step 3: Players must follow suit if possible. The highest trump or highest card of the led suit wins.
- Step 4: Play continues for 5 tricks. The bidder plays alone against all others.
Scoring
- If the bidder makes their bid, each opponent pays the bid amount.
- If the bidder fails, they pay each opponent the bid amount.
- A bid of 5 (Napoleon) pays double.
Variations
- Wellington: A bid of 5 that can only be made over another 5-bid, paying quadruple.
- Blucher: An even higher bid over Wellington, paying sextuple.
Tips and Strategies
- Bid conservatively, a bid of 2-3 is often safe with moderate trump holdings.
- As the bidder, lead your strongest trumps first to pull out defenders' trumps.
- Defenders should coordinate to give each other tricks when possible.
Tips & Strategy
Bid based on your trump strength. Leading trumps first strips defenders of their power and lets your side cards win later tricks.
With only 5 tricks, every card matters. A strong 3-card trump holding with two side-suit winners usually justifies a bid of 3.
Trivia & Fun Facts
The Napoleon bid (all 5 tricks) was named in honor of Napoleon's ambition, and it pays double to reflect the risk.
What is the maximum bid in standard Nap and what is it called?
History & Culture
Nap has been played in Britain since the 19th century, named after Napoleon Bonaparte. It remains popular as a pub and family card game.
Nap remains a beloved British pub card game, valued for its speed and accessibility across all skill levels.
Variations & House Rules
Wellington and Blucher bids escalate over a Napoleon bid with increasingly higher payoffs, named after Napoleon's battlefield opponents.
Add Wellington and Blucher bids for experienced players. Play with chips for a more engaging scoring system.
