How To Play: Napoleon

Overview

If you’ve ever wanted to channel your inner French general and crush your friends (in a strictly tabletop way), Napoleon is your game. In this guide, I’ll lay out the basic rules so you don’t embarrass yourself on your first go. Stick around for my top tips and sneaky strategies—a few of them helped me squeak out a win against my overly confident buddy Dave!

What’s in the box

• 1 standard deck of 52 playing cards
• 1 rulebook
• 5 player reference cards
• 1 scoring pad
• 5 pencils

How To Play Napoleon: Rules Summary

Setup

1. First, get a standard deck of 52 cards. Remove the jokers, unless you prefer chaos.
2. Next, gather five players. If you have four, expect some odd glares and a different set of rules.
3. Shuffle up and deal out all the cards. Each player gets ten, and two go in the kitty (a mysterious pile in the middle).
4. Finally, everyone looks at their hand and tries not to laugh or groan out loud. The game begins!

Gameplay

1. Start with a bidding round. Whoever is feeling brave (or reckless) declares how many tricks they think they can win, starting with five. Each next bid must be higher.
2. The highest bidder becomes Napoleon. His (or her) job is to win the number of tricks declared. They also pick a suit as the trump.
3. Before the action starts, Napoleon takes the kitty, adds the two cards to their hand, and then discards any two cards face down. I always panic and throw away something I later regret.
4. Napoleon then picks a secret partner by calling out a card (like “Ace of Spades”). Whoever has that card is their sneaky teammate, keeping their identity hush-hush—at least for now.
5. Play begins! The player to Napoleon’s left leads first. Everyone must follow suit if they can, otherwise, you may play any card, including a trump if you want to stir up trouble.
6. Each trick goes to the highest trump played, or highest card of the suit led if there are no trumps.

Winning

1. If Napoleon and the secret partner win at least as many tricks as bid, they win and everyone celebrates (or groans).
2. If not, everyone else wins. It’s usually followed by some epic table talk and playful finger-pointing.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. If someone bids “Wellington,” they take on everyone and must win all tricks solo. Bragging rights and possible cookies if you succeed.
2. Communication is only allowed through your card play, not winks or secret foot taps. Trust me, my group watches like hawks.
3. If nobody wants to bid, the cards are reshuffled, and we all pretend we weren’t just terrified.

With these steps, you now know How To Play napoleon. Last game night, my pal Dave tried to solo bid and forgot about trump cards. He lost, but we’re still laughing about it. So gather your friends, shuffle up, and see if you can outwit your crew!

Best Napoleon Strategies

Master Card Management and Timing to Crush Your Rivals

Keep Track of Important Cards

If you want to win, you must watch what cards have been played. When I played with friends, I kept an eye on the suits. Believe me, that helped!

1. Mentally note high cards as they leave the hand.
2. Watch your partner’s plays for clues.

Know When to Play Your Strongest Cards

In “How To Play napoleon,” timing is everything. I learned the hard way not to waste my big guns early.

1. Save your highest trumps for when you need them most.
2. Surprise your opponents by holding back.

Control the Flow of the Game

Sometimes you lead a suit to flush out threats. Other times, you let your rival sweat it out. I mix it up to keep them guessing!

1. Lead with a long suit to put pressure on others.
2. Switch tactics if your hand looks weak.

Talk It Out: Team Communication in Napoleon

I learned the hard way during my first “How To Play napoleon” night that your team must be on the same page—or you’ll crash and burn. Every look, pause, or card can act as a secret code. So, work together like a pair of synchronized swimmers. Here’s how you do it:

Nonverbal Signals That Work

1. Use consistent card play order to show strength or weakness.
2. Pick clear signs, like hesitating before a play, to show you want a suit led.

Confirming Each Other’s Moves

1. Echo partner’s signals with your plays.
2. If you notice their cue, back them up with a smart play.

Keep It Legal

1. Decide on signals before the game, not during.
2. Never talk during play or you’ll get called out (trust me, I got scolded!).

Trust me, strong teamwork leads to big “How To Play napoleon” wins—and much less yelling from your friends!

Bidding Boldly: Outsmart Your Rivals in Napoleon

Judge Your Hand (And Your Nerves)

First, when learning How To Play napoleon, you must size up your cards and your courage. Don’t let your hopes run away with you, like my friend Greg who bid for a slam with two low clubs. Instead, count your winners and spot your weak suits.

1. Add up sure tricks.
2. Notice suit gaps and plan your cover.
3. Check your team’s past bidding style.

Read the Table Like a Psychic (Almost)

Next up, always watch your rivals. They might bluff. They might whimper. Both can trip you up. If bidding gets heated, you may want to duck out of a risky bid (unlike me after three espressos).

1. Track who passes early.
2. Spot high bids—there’s danger there.

Calculate Risk, Not Just Hope

Finally, every bid in How To Play napoleon has a risk, but fortune sometimes grins at boldness. Just make sure you have a plan if things go pear-shaped. Bluff only if you love drama—my last attempt ended in spectacular defeat.

1. If in doubt, bid low and fight later.
2. Be bold with backup!

March to Victory: Your Path to Napoleon Glory

Alright, you made it to the end! If you’re still awake and not dreaming of trumps and bids, you’re ready to take on the How To Play napoleon challenge. I’ve played this game more than I’ve checked my phone in a day, and trust me, the thrill never wears off.

Keep your card management sharp, don’t spill the beans to your partner with wild eyebrow wags, and never, ever overbid after two coffees. Most of all—have fun and watch for that sneaky friend who always forgets the rules ‘by accident’. Good luck storming the table!

Want to know what we think of Napoleon? Read our detailed review of Napoleon here