What is Follow Suit?
Follow Suit
The requirement to play a card of the same suit as
the card that was led, if you have one. This is the fundamental rule of trick-taking games.
The Rule
- First player leads any card (e.g., 7♥)
- Other players must play a heart if they have one
- If you have no hearts, you may play any card
- Highest card of the led suit wins (unless trumped)
Example
Lead: K♥. You have: 2♥, 10♦, A♠. You must play the 2♥ - you cannot play the Ace of Spades even though it's higher.
Why This Rule Exists
- Creates strategy: You can't simply play your best card every time
- Enables trumping: Only possible when you can't follow suit
- Forces planning: Creating "voids" (no cards in a suit) becomes tactical
When You Can't Follow Suit
If you have no cards of the led suit (you're "void" in that suit):
- In Spades: You can trump with a spade or discard
- In Hearts: You can play any card (often used to dump points)
- In Bridge: You can trump or discard
Strategic Implications
Creating Voids
Intentionally emptying a suit from your hand through discards or passing lets you trump (in Spades) or dump penalty cards (in Hearts).
Counting Cards
If an opponent doesn't follow suit, you now know they're void in that suit - valuable information for planning future tricks.