Japanese Napoleon Strategy and Tips

Here is how to think about winning at Japanese Napoleon, split into short lessons. Each one reads on its own, and each one comes with a real position: press Try it on the board and you play the move yourself.

Bid by counting tricks, not cards

Lesson 1

In Japanese Napoleon you bid a number of honour cards, but counting the honours in your hand tells you little. There are 20 honours and 10 tricks, so each trick carries about two. The quick way is to count the tricks you can win and double them.

As a guide, the Mighty, the right jack and the left jack are almost a trick each, the ace and king of trumps are one each, every trump beyond the fourth is about half a trick, and a side ace is a little under one. Add about two tricks for your adjutant and a little for the widow.

This hand holds the Mighty (♠A), the right jack (♠J) and the left jack (♣J), with the ♠K, ♠Q, ♠10 and ♠9, plus the ♥A and ♦A. With spades as trumps it could win close to seven tricks. Even counting cautiously, 16 is within reach — bid 16 in spades.

Name the strongest card you do not hold

Lesson 2

The adjutant is whoever holds the card Napoleon names. The adjutant takes honours for Napoleon’s army, so you want your partner to be the player with the strongest card.

So the rule of thumb is to name the strongest card you do not hold: the Mighty (♠A) if you lack it, otherwise the right jack (jack of trumps), and failing that the left jack. Naming a card in your own hand or in the widow means playing alone, with no partner at all.

Here your hearts are long, so bid 13 in hearts and become Napoleon. You hold the Mighty but not the ♥J, the right jack. After bidding, tap Right J to choose the ♥J, then Name adjutant.

Give honours to your side's winning trick

Lesson 3

In Japanese Napoleon the deal is decided by honours taken, not by tricks. So when a trick is certain to go to your side, throw in an honour to be taken with it. Players call this giving or feeding an honour.

The reverse matters too: an honour played to a trick the other side will win becomes theirs. When you cannot follow suit and may play anything, look at who is winning before deciding whether to feed an honour or slip away with a small card.

Here you are the adjutant. Napoleon has played the Mighty (♠A), so this trick belongs to Napoleon’s army. You have no spades and may play anything. Feed the ♦K to add to your army’s honours.

Yoromeki: topple the Mighty with the ♥Q

Lesson 4

The Mighty (♠A) is the strongest card in Japanese Napoleon, but one card beats it: the ♥Q. When the Mighty and the ♥Q fall in the same trick, the ♥Q wins. This is called yoromeki, roughly "staggering".

Yoromeki works best when you have no spades. The Mighty is a spade, so anyone holding spades must follow with one and cannot play the ♥Q. With no spades you may play any card, and the ♥Q topples the Mighty.

Here you are one of the allies. Napoleon has led the Mighty to collect honours, but you have no spades. Play your ♥Q and the allies take this trick by yoromeki.

Lead the joker to draw out trumps

Lesson 5

The joker is an odd card. Played later in a trick it is the lowest card of all, but led it calls for trumps: everyone holding a trump must play one. And unless a special card (the Mighty or a jack) appears, the joker wins.

For Napoleon, trumps left in the others’ hands are a danger — later they could ruff your honours. Leading the joker draws them out safely. Note that you may not lead the joker to the first trick.

Here you are Napoleon and hearts are trumps. The others still hold a few hearts. Lead the glowing joker and make them give up their trumps.

Try it on the board

Pick a lesson and the board starts from that position. Start over as often as you like.

Now put it to work

Last updated 2026-09-26 · Run by Qdan, Inc.