Card rules · 2026-11-02

The Highest Card May Lose When It Does Not Follow Suit

In a no-trump trick exercise, the winner is the highest card of the led suit. A high card from another suit does not enter that comparison.

In a no-trump trick exercise, the winner is the highest card of the led suit. A high card from another suit does not enter that comparison.

Hearts are led. The plays are 6♥, K♣ and 9♥. With ordinary rank order, 9♥ wins among the hearts. K♣ is a king, but it is not a heart. Its rank does not overtake the eligible heart cards.

Whether playing K♣ was legal is a separate question about the player's hand and the follow-suit requirement. First check legality, then determine the winner from eligible cards. Ranking all visible cards without filtering by suit answers the wrong question.