How to Play · Lesson 6 of 10

Calling In The Second Round

When the upcard turns down, learn to name your own trump, including the 'next' suit.

When the Upcard Turns Down

If all four players pass in the first round, the upcard is flipped face-down and a second round of bidding begins. Now any player may name any suit except the one that was just turned down.

This is your chance to choose trump on your own terms — so a first-round pass is often the setup for a stronger call, not a surrender.

Why Pass, Then Call?

Sometimes the upcard's suit is wrong for you, but you hold real strength in a different suit. Ordering up the wrong suit hands the dealer a trump and commits you to your weak suit.

• If you hold a Jack that would be a bower in another suit, ordering up the upcard's suit wastes it. Wait and name the suit where that Jack is a bower.
• Passing keeps your options open — but remember everyone else can call too, so only pass when you have a clear plan for round two.

Calling "Next"

Next is the suit of the same color as the turned-down upcard. For example, if a Diamond is turned down, calling Hearts is calling "next."

• When the upcard is turned down, the dealer is indicating he is weak in that suit (since it is a huge advantage for the dealer to pick up a card if he can) — this makes the same-color suit (next) more likely to hold strength since the dealer more likely doesn't hold either bower in that color.
• Naming next is a classic aggressive second-round call, especially from the first seat to act.