Rook
Whist-style tricks with a color deck: bid, name trump, and make your promise good.
Who it's for
You like trick-taking and have a regular partner to play with, or you want a deck that does not need suits explained to anyone. Best with four.
Not for you if…
You cannot find exactly four people, or bidding games stress you out. A bad bid hurts the whole partnership, and there is no hiding behind luck.
Vibe's take
A steady, chatty card game with real tension at the bid. You trust your partner without being allowed to say so, and a missed contract stings in a way a normal hand never does.
About this game
Rook is the trick-taking card game for people who grew up in households where a regular deck of cards was frowned upon. The deck has no face cards or suits, just numbers 1 to 14 in four colors, plus the Rook card itself. Four players in two partnerships bid for the right to name trump, and the winning side has to collect at least as many points as it promised. You must follow the color led, and trump beats the rest. It plays a lot like Whist or Spades, with a bidding round that decides who carries the pressure. Learn it once and you have an evening game that sits comfortably at a kitchen table.
Get it
By the numbers
Players
Duration
45 min
Ages 10+
Complexity
1.9 / 5 — LightBGG Rating
6.0/10
Rank #3,164
3.2k ratings
Published
1906
Designed by
Grace Parker, George S. Parker
Published by
Hasbro, Parker Brothers, Winning Moves Games (USA), Editrice Giochi, Miro Company and 2 more
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