500

500 (FIVE HUNDRED) is a TRICK-TAKING CARD GAME created in the UNITED STATES around 1904 by the UNITED STATES PLAYING CARD COMPANY (USPCC) as a MORE ACCESSIBLE ALTERNATIVE to CONTRACT BRIDGE + AUCTION BRIDGE (which were becoming dominant among the American card-playing elite). USPCC promoted 500 heavily + published official rules in HOYLE'S RULES OF GAMES from 1904 onwards. While 500 declined in popularity in the USA as Bridge took over, it EXPLODED in AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND in the early 20th century + became the NATIONAL CARD GAME OF AUSTRALIA — considered on par with Belote in France, Skat in Germany, Tarot in France. In modern Australia + New Zealand, 500 is played by MILLIONS particularly in rural areas, older generations, retirement homes, family gatherings, workplaces + card clubs. Also popular among CANADIANS, IRISH, and CARIBBEAN COMMUNITIES. DECK: standard 43-CARD or 46-CARD DECK derived from 52-card deck: (a) STRIP all 2s + 3s + 4s (and 5s at 4-player = 42-card deck; 5s kept at 5-6 player = 43-46 cards); (b) ADD the JOKER as trump-related wild. RANK: A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 (varies by variant). PLAYERS: 3, 4 (STANDARD PARTNERSHIP, 2 vs 2), 5 (individual + captured king rule), 6 (2 teams of 3). BIDDING PHASE: In turn each player either PASSES or makes a BID: (1) NUMBER (6-10) + TRUMP SUIT / NO TRUMP; represents 'I can win THIS MANY tricks with THAT trump'; (2) Special bids: MISÈRE (win 0 tricks with no trump), OPEN MISÈRE (with hand exposed, ultra-difficult). Highest bidder = DECLARER; picks up KITTY (3 face-down cards dealt center), discards 3, sets trump. CONVENTIONS: JOKER = ALWAYS TRUMP; JACK OF TRUMP = 'RIGHT BOWER' (highest trump); OFF-SUIT JACK OF SAME COLOR = 'LEFT BOWER' (2nd-highest trump). E.g., if HEARTS trump → Jack of Hearts = Right Bower, Jack of Diamonds = Left Bower. GAMEPLAY: Trick-taking; follow suit if possible; highest trump wins or highest card of led suit if no trump played. Declarer + partner (if 4p) try to win contract number of tricks. SCORING (VARIABLE PER VARIANT): Made contract = points as printed in scoring table (Australian version 40-520 depending on trump + level); failed = negative same value; opponent tricks = 10 points each. MISÈRE typically 250; OPEN MISÈRE 500. WIN = first team to +500 (positive) OR first team to hit -500 (loss). GAME LENGTH: 30-60 min per game (4-player). SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE: (a) Featured in AUSTRALIAN CULTURE — Norm Cash's 500 club, Kalgoorlie Miner card halls, ABC-TV Aussie 500 tournaments; (b) TAUGHT in Australian schools + Boy Scout + Girl Guide badges; (c) 500 CLUBS in Australia + NZ have thousands of members; (d) FAMILY generational tradition — commonly taught by grandparents. VARIANTS: (a) AUSTRALIAN 500 (standard, most popular); (b) AMERICAN 500 (original USPCC rules; slightly different bid values); (c) 3-HAND 500 (individual); (d) 5-HAND 500 (partner rules with captured king); (e) 6-HAND 500 (2 teams of 3); (f) IRISH 500 (used in Ireland with variant scoring); (g) TABLE 500 (with center dummy hand). MODERN: (a) 500 apps on iOS + Android (multiple with 500K+ downloads); (b) online play on Aussie 500 sites + Trickster Cards. GAMES USUALLY 1-3 hours (multi-hand session).

Made contract = bid value printed in scoring table (40-520 depending on trump + level); failed = same value negative. Opponent tricks = 10 points each. First to +500 wins; team hitting -500 loses.

Win condition · First team to reach +500 wins. First team to reach -500 loses (auto-defeat regardless of opposition).

Standard card play area; center for tricks won by declarer + opposition; kitty (3 face-down cards) placed center between deal + bidding.

• 43-46 card 500 deck

  Standard 52-card deck with 2s-4s stripped + Joker added (43 for 4p; 46 for 5-6p)

• USPCC 500 deck

  USPCC still sells dedicated 500 decks (rare in USA; common in Australia)

• Scoring pad

  Standard scoring: bid value, tricks made, cumulative to 500

• Standard bridge-style 52-card deck

  Most players just strip 2s-4s from 52-card deck

• 500 apps (iOS + Android)

  Multiple with 500K+ downloads; Aussie 500 apps popular

• Trickster Cards + Meld online sites

  Free online 500 play with matchmaking

• Bid conservatively at high levels

  8+ bids risk big losses; only bid 9-10 with strong trumps + bowers.

• Watch for MISÈRE hands

  Hand with no aces + no kings in long suits = potential misère bid; big score.

• Joker + both bowers = trump lock

  Holding Joker + Right + Left Bower = 3 automatic trump wins.

• Signal partner via card played order

  Partnership signaling (like Bridge) — high-then-low signals suit preference.

• Count trumps played

  Track trumps + bowers played to know who has remaining.

• Kitty strengthens hand

  Declarer picks up 3 kitty cards + discards 3 — 6-card selection significantly improves hand.

• No Trump bids require balanced hand

  No Trump = highest scoring for level; need strength in multiple suits.

Bower

Jack of trump (Right Bower = highest) or off-color same-color Jack (Left Bower = 2nd highest).

Joker

Always highest trump in 500.

Kitty

3 face-down cards dealt center; declarer takes + discards 3.

Contract

Bid + trump combination declarer commits to make.

Misère

Special bid winning ZERO tricks (250 points if made).

Open Misère

Misère with hand EXPOSED (500 points; very hard).

No Trump

Bid with no trump suit; ranks highest for equivalent number bid.

Right Bower / Left Bower

Jack of trump (Right) / off-color same-color Jack (Left).

Bag / Bid Won

Successfully making contract = full point value.

• Australian 500 State Championships

  annual · Australia · since 1950

• NZ National 500 Championship

  annual · New Zealand · since 1960

• 500 Clubs weekly + monthly tournaments

  ongoing · Australia + NZ · since 1920

• Trickster Cards + Meld online rankings

  ongoing · worldwide · since 2015

• ABC-TV Aussie 500 (historical)

  historical · Australia · since 1970

• 🇦🇺Australia
• 🇳🇿New Zealand
• 🇺🇸United States
• 🇨🇦Canada
• 🇮🇪Ireland
• 🇬🇧United Kingdom
• 🇯🇲Jamaica
• 🇧🇧BB
• 🇹🇹TT
• 🇮🇳India

• USPCC (United States Playing Card Company)

  Founded 1885 · USA

• 500 Clubs of Australia + New Zealand (informal network)

  Founded 1920 · Australia

• Hoyle's Rules (rule reference authority)

  Founded 1904 · USA

• Wikipedia — 500 (card game)— Wikipedia
• Pagat — 500— Pagat.com (card games rule authority)
• USPCC — 500 rules— USPCC
• Hoyle's Rules of Games — 500— Hoyle's