Party game · one screen or separate devices
Bidding War
Bid how many players you can name. Take turns to raise or pass until one bidder is left. Then they have to back it up: name that many before the clock runs out.
How it works
- A category lands, showing how many valid answers it has.
- Take turns in order. The first player opens with a bid: how many they can name. The starting player moves round each category.
- On your turn, raise the bid or pass. Pass and you’re out of the bidding for this category.
- When everyone else has passed, the top bidder has to back it up: name that many before the clock runs out. Bid the whole list and everyone else is out at once.
- Back it up and you score 1. Come up short, or give up, and you lose 1, even on 0, so a score can go below 0.
- Wrong names cost only time. First to 3 wins with 4 or more players, first to 4 with fewer.
- 2 to 12 players. Play first to 3, 4, 5 or 7, or a set number of rounds with sudden death if it’s tied.
The fine print
- The opener gets 10 extra seconds to read a new category. Every turn after that has the normal clock.
- Each player can pass on one category a game when it’s their turn to open. A new one is dealt and they open that. After that, they have to bid.
- A turn whose clock runs out counts as a pass. An opener whose clock runs out uses their pass, and once it’s used they open at 1.
- Teams: if the captain doesn’t act in time, the top teammate suggestion goes in.
- A player whose phone drops is passed after a few seconds.
- Stuck while backing it up? The top bidder can give up. That ends it right away and counts as coming up short, so it costs 1.
- Scores can go below 0. A player on 0 still loses 1 for coming up short, so a big bid is never free.
- Sudden death rounds don’t add to or take from the scores. They only decide the winner. Back up your bid and you win. Come up short and you lose.
- Backing it up gets 10 seconds a name on Normal, 40 seconds at least and 3 minutes at most.
- Teams on phones bid as one. Teammates suggest and the captain raises or passes. To back it up, anyone on the team can type a name, on one clock. The phones suggest whose go it is.
1.Which sports do you all follow?
Pick the ones everyone at the table knows.
2.Which era?
The last 12 seasons. Players you’ll know.
3.How long?
First to 3 with 4 or more players, first to 4 with fewer.
4.Clocks (separate devices)
20s to raise or pass, 10s more for the opener. Run out of time and it counts as a pass. Opening, it uses your one pass; after that, running out opens at 1. Backing it up gets 10s a name.
5.Or play on one screen
Add everyone who is playing, in the order you sit. You take turns in that order.
Clocks on one screen
20s a turn to raise or pass (the opener gets 10s more). Run out of time and it counts as a pass. An opener who runs out uses their one pass, and after that running out opens at 1. Backing it up gets 10s a name.
This screen becomes the scoreboard, best on a TV or laptop. Everyone joins on their phone at trivball.com/party.
Pick your sports at the top to start.