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How do high and low card rankings differ in bid whist?
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whist
Men playing whist, watercolour on paper by Mary Ellen Best, c. mid-19th century; in the York Art Gallery, England.
In bid whist, the ranking of cards depends on whether the bid is designated as high ("uptown") or low ("downtown").
- High Bids (Uptown): Cards follow the standard descending order: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.1
- Low Bids (Downtown): The ranking is inverted, with the Ace remaining at the top, followed by the cards in ascending order: Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King.1
When a trump suit is declared, the jokers serve as the highest-ranking cards, followed by the Ace and the remaining cards in the order specified by the bid type (uptown or downtown). In no-trump bids, jokers are considered powerless and are typically removed from play.1