Learn how to bid in 500: count likely tricks, value bowers and trump, use the kitty as an upgrade, know when to pass, and choose a contract you can actually make.
How to Bid in 500: A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Right Bid
Bidding is where 500 stops being just a card game and starts becoming a conversation.
Not a loud conversation. Not one where you can say exactly what you have. But every bid says something.
A low bid says, “I have a hand, but I am not ready to risk too much.”
A higher bid says, “I think we can control this.”
A no-trump bid says, “I do not need a safety net.”
And sometimes a pass says, “Someone else can be brave today.”
Learning how to bid in 500 is not about memorising a perfect formula. It is about reading your hand, judging your likely tricks, valuing trump correctly, and remembering that the kitty can improve your hand after you win the auction.
A good bid is not a dream.
It is a contract you can actually make.
For the full rules before the bidding tips, see the How to Play 500 guide.
What a Bid Means in 500
A normal 500 bid has two parts: the number of tricks your team promises to win, and the trump suit or No Trumps.
For example, 6 Hearts means your team must win at least 6 of the 10 tricks, with Hearts as trump. 8 Diamonds means your team must win at least 8 tricks, with Diamonds as trump. 7 No Trumps means your team must win at least 7 tricks, with no trump suit.
The winning bidder becomes the contractor. They pick up the kitty, discard back down to 10 cards, and lead the first trick.
That means bidding is not just guessing how many tricks you already have. You are also estimating how much the kitty might improve your hand.
That is what makes 500 bidding tricky.
You are bidding on the hand you can see, plus the hand you might be able to build.
Misère is a different kind of bid, where the aim is to take no tricks at all. For that special case, see What Is Misère in 500?.
Start by Counting Likely Tricks
The first step is to count the tricks your hand can probably win.
Start with your strongest cards.
Aces in non-trump suits can be winners. High trump cards can be winners. The Joker and bowers are extremely strong in trump contracts.
But do not count every high card as guaranteed.
A King can lose to an Ace. A Queen can be trapped. A long suit can be cut by trump. A hand with scattered strength may not play as well as it looks.
Beginners often overbid because they count cards that might win as cards that will win.
There is a big difference.
A bid should be based on likely tricks, not best-case tricks.
The Bowers Change Everything
In 500, the bowers are some of the most important cards in the game.
The right bower is the Jack of the trump suit.
The left bower is the Jack of the other suit of the same colour.
If Hearts are trump, the Jack of Hearts is the right bower and the Jack of Diamonds is the left bower.
If Spades are trump, the Jack of Spades is the right bower and the Jack of Clubs is the left bower.
The left bower counts as trump. That means it does not belong to its printed suit during that hand.
This matters when bidding.
If you have the Joker, right bower, and left bower, you have serious trump control. Even one bower can make a suit much more attractive as trump.
A hand with average side cards but strong bowers may be better than a hand with prettier Aces and Kings scattered across suits.
In 500, trump control is power.
See 500 Card Rankings Explained: Joker, Right Bower, Left Bower and Trumps for trump order and how the left bower changes suit.
Look for a Trump Suit, Not Just High Cards
When choosing a bid, do not only ask, “How many good cards do I have?”
Ask, “Which suit do I want as trump?”
A good trump suit usually has strength and length.
Strength means high cards: Joker, right bower, left bower, Ace, King.
Length means enough cards in that suit to keep control through the hand.
If you only have one strong trump card, you may win one trick but lose control afterward. If you have several trump cards, especially high ones, you can draw out opponents’ trump and protect your contract.
A good trump suit gives you a plan.
A weak trump suit gives you hope.
Hope is not a bidding system.
Remember the Kitty
The winning bidder gets the kitty.
That matters.
The kitty can add trump, improve your side suits, or let you discard weak cards. A hand that is nearly strong enough can become strong enough after the kitty.
But the kitty is not magic.
You cannot assume it will contain exactly the cards you need. If your bid only works if the kitty is perfect, the bid is probably too high.
A better way to think about the kitty is this: bid when your hand is already close. Let the kitty improve it. Do not ask the kitty to rescue it.
For example, if you have five strong hearts and a couple of outside winners, bidding Hearts may be reasonable because any extra heart or useful high card from the kitty helps.
But if you have only two hearts and no bowers, bidding Hearts because “maybe the kitty has them” is asking for trouble.
Your Partner Matters
500 is a partnership game.
When you bid, you are not saying, “I alone will win all these tricks.”
You are saying, “Between my hand, my partner’s help, and the kitty, I think our team can make this contract.”
That does not mean you should rely completely on your partner. Your partner may have very little support. They may have strength in the wrong suit. They may not be able to help your trump plan.
But you should still remember they exist.
If your hand can probably win five tricks by itself, a bid of six or seven may be reasonable because your partner only needs to contribute a little.
If your hand can only win two tricks, do not assume your partner will carry the rest.
A good 500 bid gives your partner something real to work with.
When to Bid Six
A six-level bid is the lowest normal contract.
It says your team can win at least 6 of the 10 tricks.
As a beginner, six is often the right place to start when your hand has a decent trump suit but not enough strength to push higher.
You might bid six when you have a clear trump suit, at least a few likely winners, some support from Aces or Kings in other suits, and enough shape that the kitty could improve the hand.
Six is not a weak bid. It is a controlled bid.
It gives you a chance to name trump, pick up the kitty, and make a realistic contract without promising too much.
When to Bid Seven or Higher
Higher bids need stronger hands.
A seven bid means your team must win 7 tricks. An eight bid means 8. That leaves very little room for mistakes.
Before bidding higher, ask yourself: can I control trump? Do I have the Joker or bowers? Do I have outside Aces? Can I handle the suits my opponents may lead? Will the kitty improve a hand that is already strong?
A higher bid usually needs more than one good card. It needs structure.
For example, a hand with the Joker, right bower, Ace of trump, King of trump, and an outside Ace has real bidding power.
A hand with three Kings and no trump strength may look good, but it can be fragile.
The higher the bid, the less you can rely on maybes.
See 500 Card Game Scoring Explained: Bids, Tricks and the 500-Point Target for how much a higher contract is worth, and how much you lose if you fail.
When to Bid No Trumps
No Trumps is one of the cleanest and riskiest bids in 500.
When you bid No Trumps, there is no trump suit. Tricks are won by the highest card in the suit that was led.
That means you cannot use trump to regain control.
No Trumps can be strong when you have high cards across several suits. Aces are especially important. Protected Kings can also help, especially when you have enough cards in the suit to avoid being forced into awkward plays.
A good No Trumps hand often has several Aces, strong Kings with support, control across multiple suits, and no obvious weak suit that opponents can attack.
A hand full of one suit is usually not a No Trumps hand. That kind of hand often wants that suit to become trump.
No Trumps says, “I can win by card strength alone.”
Do not say that unless your hand means it.
When Not to Bid No Trumps
Do not bid No Trumps just because you cannot choose a trump suit.
That is one of the easiest beginner mistakes.
A scattered hand with a few middle cards is not automatically a No Trumps hand. If you do not have enough Aces, protected Kings, or control across suits, opponents may simply lead through your weak areas until your hand falls apart.
No Trumps is not the backup option when you are confused.
It is a confident bid for a hand with broad strength.
If your hand has one strong suit, bid the suit.
If your hand has no clear winners, pass.
If your hand has power everywhere, then consider No Trumps.
When to Pass
Passing is not failure.
Sometimes it is the smartest bid.
Pass when your hand does not have enough clear tricks, does not have a good trump suit, and does not have the kind of broad strength needed for No Trumps.
Pass when your best cards are unsupported.
Pass when your hand only works if the kitty is perfect.
Pass when the auction has already gone higher than your hand can honestly support.
Beginners often feel like they should bid because bidding feels active. But in 500, a bad bid can lose a lot of points quickly.
There is no shame in letting someone else take the risk.
A pass can be a good decision.
Do Not Chase the Auction
Australian-style 500 bidding can keep climbing.
That makes it tempting to raise just because the auction is getting exciting.
Be careful.
Every time you raise, you are making a bigger promise. A bid of 8 Hearts is not just “better” than 7 Hearts. It is harder. You have to win more tricks. You are taking on more risk.
If your original hand supported 7 Hearts, it does not automatically support 8 Hearts because someone else bid over you.
Ask whether your hand has actually changed.
It has not.
Only the price has changed.
Do not let the auction talk you into a contract your cards cannot make.
That continuing auction is one of the things that makes Australian 500 feel different from American 500. See Australian 500 vs American 500: What’s the Difference? for how the bidding rhythm changes.
A Simple Beginner Bidding Method
Here is a useful way to think through a hand.
First, look for trump strength. Do you have the Joker? A bower? Several cards in one suit? A suit you would be happy to name as trump?
Second, count likely winners. Separate sure winners from hope cards. Aces and high trump are stronger than unsupported Queens and Jacks.
Third, think about the kitty. Would the kitty improve an already promising hand, or are you relying on it to save you?
Fourth, consider your partner. Can your partner reasonably help make this bid, or are you asking too much?
Finally, round down when the hand feels uncertain.
It is better to make a realistic contract than to lose a flashy one.
Example: A Good Suit Bid
Imagine you hold the Joker, Jack of Hearts, Ace of Hearts, King of Hearts, 10 of Hearts, Ace of Clubs, and a few lower cards.
This is a strong Hearts hand.
If Hearts are trump, you have the Joker, the right bower, and several strong trump cards. The Ace of Clubs gives you another likely trick outside trump.
This hand can probably justify a confident Hearts bid. Depending on the auction, 7 Hearts or even 8 Hearts may be reasonable.
The key is that the hand has a plan.
Win trump control. Use the kitty to improve. Push for the contract.
Example: A Hand That Should Be Careful
Now imagine you hold the King of Spades, Queen of Diamonds, King of Clubs, 10 of Hearts, 9 of Hearts, 8 of Hearts, and several low cards.
This hand has some nice-looking cards, but no clear trump control.
The Kings may win, but they can lose to Aces. The Hearts are connected, but not powerful. There is no Joker, no bower, and no obvious suit you are excited to make trump.
This is the kind of hand beginners overbid.
It may be worth passing, or making only a cautious bid if the auction allows and your table position makes sense.
Pretty cards are not the same as a strong contract.
Common 500 Bidding Mistakes
The first mistake is bidding on hope.
If your bid only works when the kitty gives you exactly the right cards, it is probably too ambitious.
The second mistake is undervaluing bowers. The right and left bower can completely change a trump suit. Do not treat them like ordinary Jacks.
Another mistake is choosing No Trumps because you do not know what else to bid. No Trumps needs strength across suits. It is not a shrug.
Players also get into trouble by chasing the auction. Just because someone bids over you does not mean you need to go higher.
Finally, beginners sometimes forget that winning the auction comes with responsibility. You get the kitty, yes. But you also get the contract. If you fail, your team loses the bid value.
Final Thought
Bidding in 500 is part judgement, part courage, and part restraint.
You need enough confidence to take control when your hand is strong. You also need enough discipline to pass when the cards are not there.
Count your likely tricks. Look for trump strength. Respect the bowers. Use the kitty as an upgrade, not a miracle. Bid No Trumps only when your hand has real control across suits.
Most of all, remember that a bid is a promise.
Make one your hand can keep.
Ready to practise? Play 500 online, or start with the full How to Play 500 guide.
