What Is Forty-Five?
Forty-Five is Ireland’s national card game, and it’s famous for having one of the most complicated trump hierarchies in any card game. The Five of the trump suit is ALWAYS the highest card in the game — higher than the Ace of trump. The trump rankings are completely different from any other suit. Once you learn the hierarchy, the game is a lively partnership trick-taker where the first team to 45 points wins.
What You Need
- A standard 52-card deck
- 2 to 6 players — best with 4 (2 partnerships) or 6 (3 teams of 2)
- Score pad
Trump Hierarchy — Very Different from Other Games
In the trump suit, the ranking from HIGH to LOW is: 5 of trump (highest), J of trump, Ace of Hearts (always third-highest trump regardless of what’s trump), Ace of trump, K of trump, Q of trump, then other trumps ranked differently by suit color:
- Red trump suits (Hearts/Diamonds): remaining cards ranked 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 4, 3, 2
- Black trump suits (Clubs/Spades): remaining cards ranked K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 4, 3, 2
Non-trump suits rank normally: K, Q, J, 10, 9… down to 2.
Setup
- The dealer deals 5 cards to each player and 3 cards to a kitty.
- Each player bids or passes. The minimum bid is 5 (one trick). Bids go in multiples of 5.
- The highest bidder names trump and may exchange cards with the kitty.
How to Play
- Highest bidder leads first.
- You are NOT always required to follow suit in Forty-Five — but if a higher trump than yours is led, you MUST either play a higher trump or renege (can’t follow).
- Win tricks. The first player to complete a trick leads next.
- Play all 5 tricks.
Scoring
- Each trick won = 5 points
- Capturing the Five of Trump in a trick = 5 bonus points
- If bidder makes their bid: score their tricks + bonuses
- If bidder fails: lose their bid amount
Winning
First team to reach 45 points wins. In 25 (a variant), first to 25 wins.
Strategy Tips
- Memorize the trump hierarchy — especially that the 5 of trump and J of trump outrank everything.
- The Ace of Hearts is always the third-highest trump no matter what suit is trump.
- Reneging (not following suit) is legal in Forty-Five — use this to protect your high trumps.
- Bid carefully — missing a bid gives opponents a big advantage.