Editing Trick-taking game (section)

== Partnerships ==
[[File:Bridge demonstratie van Omar Sharif in RAIi, Bestanddeelnr 920-9141.jpg|thumb|Bridge is played between two partnerships]]

In many games such as [[Hearts (card game)|hearts]] and [[oh hell]], all players play individually against each other.

In many four-player games such as [[Contract bridge|bridge]], [[euchre]] and [[Spades (card game)|spades]], the players sitting opposite to each other form a fixed partnership.

Some games such as [[pinochle]] are commonly played with or without partnerships, depending on the number of players.

In some contract/auction games for three or more players, e.g. most [[tarot]] variants, the contractor (''declarer'' or ''taker'') plays alone against all opponents, who form an ''ad hoc'' partnership (the ''defenders'').

In some games the partnerships are decided by chance – the contractor forms a partnership with the winner of the first trick, or with the player who holds a certain card. This practice originated from cinquillo and [[Quadrille (card game)|quadrille]]. In [[Königrufen]] and five-player [[French tarot]] the taker can call out a suit of which he does not possess the king, and is partnered with whomever does have it against the other three. Standard [[Schafkopf]] is similar: A "player" can "call" a suit, and the person holding the ace of that suit becomes his partner for the hand. 

As this is not openly declared, it can be a challenge for the remaining players, to find out who is partnered with whom through cunning playing for several tricks. Aside from that, standard Schafkopf also has several solo options, where the "player" plays alone against the rest. In [[Doppelkopf]], the two players holding the black queens are partners for that hand. Special rules are provided for the case where a single player holds both black queens.