Trickster Cards

What Trickster Cards does

Trickster Cards, Inc. is a Bellevue, Washington-based, privately held software company founded in 2014 by Tony Ross and Ted Johnson, both former Microsoft web browser developers. The company operates a cross-platform online card game platform — accessible via web browser, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, Chromebook, and Windows — offering nine trick-taking card games (Bridge, Euchre, 500, Hearts, Oh Hell, Pinochle, Pitch, Spades, and Whist) with extensive rule customization, built-in video chat for private games, autonomous bots (including the open-source Bridgit Bridge bot), and a Clubs feature for community-organized multi-table events and tournaments. The core technology is a proprietary web-based engine that bridges devices across operating systems, a capability the founders emphasize was rare in 2014 when most apps could not connect between platforms.

The business runs on a freemium model: core multiplayer gameplay is free with pre-game ads served via Google AdSense/AdMob, while a VIP Pass subscription ($5.99/month, $14.99/quarter, $49.99/year) removes ads and unlocks features such as replay watching, friend messaging, club creation, and 2,500 monthly Compete chips. Additional revenue comes from the Trickster Chips virtual currency used in competitive Compete games (buy-in tiers of 30, 110, 275, and 550 chips) and a merchandise shop operated via Fourthwall. Distribution is global and self-serve through app stores and instant web play.

The company remains bootstrapped with just two co-founders, supported by strategic partnerships — notably with World Series of Spades (televised tournaments), Professor T (educational Spades lessons), Ralph Lipe (Bridgit bot), and influencer Korey Hines — to extend content reach. Customer segments are hobbyist card players spanning friends and family groups, organized club communities, competitive/duplicate players, and beginners. The platform celebrated its 10-year anniversary in August 2024 with continuous feature development documented across more than 70 releases from 2023 through mid-2026.

Name

Trickster Cards

Legal name

Trickster Cards, Inc.

Website

https://trickstercards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Trickster Cards operates a cross-platform online card game platform offering nine trick-taking games (Bridge, Euchre, Spades, etc.) with customizable rules, video chat, and club events. It serves hobbyist card players globally via a freemium model with VIP subscriptions and ads.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Multiplayer Card Games

NAICS

Other Gambling Industries (713290), Gambling Industries (7132), Amusement Arcades (71312)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Sweepstakes/Free-to-Play & Social Poker Apps (MPAEAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Online Casino Platform Providers (PAM, Wallet, CMS, Back Office) (MPAEABAK)

Keywords

• Online card games
• Multiplayer card platform
• Freemium mobile games
• Cross-platform gaming
• Virtual card tournaments

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellevue

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. VIP Subscription (Ad-Free): Pre-paid VIP Pass removing ads and providing extras: 1-month ($5.99), 3-month ($14.99), 12-month ($49.99). Includes watching replays, ad-free hosting, watching compete games, messaging friends, and creating clubs.
2. Advertising (Free Tier): Free users see brief ads before each game with no banners or popups during play. Uses Google AdSense and AdMob. Some iOS ads require tapping continue button.
3. Trickster Chips (Virtual Currency): Virtual currency for Compete games with four buy-in levels: 30, 110, 275, or 550 Trickster Chips. Purchased through platform payment systems (iOS, Android, etc.). All sales final, no cash redemption.
4. Merchandise Shop: Trickster Cards Shop sells merchandise including hats, T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs via fourthwall.com integration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Trickster Cards operates a cross-platform online multiplayer platform for nine classic trick-taking card games (Bridge, Euchre, 500, Hearts, Oh Hell, Pinochle, Pitch, Spades, and Whist). The platform enables players to instantly match with real opponents via 'Play' or join private games with friends via 'Join', with built-in video chat, extensive rule customization, AI bots, clubs for organized events, and lessons. The service runs on a freemium model with an ad-supported free tier and a VIP Pass subscription for ad-free play and extras.

Product overview

Trickster Cards offers a unified online card game platform centered on the all-in-one Trickster Cards app, which packages nine distinct trick-taking card games (Bridge, Euchre, 500, Hearts, Oh Hell, Pinochle, Pitch, Spades, and Whist) into a single product. Each game is also available as a standalone app. The platform operates on a freemium model: core multiplayer gameplay is free with ads, while the VIP Pass subscription ($5.99-$49.99) provides ad-free play, enhanced Compete monthly chips (2,500), replay watching, friend messaging, and club creation rights. Additional offerings include Trickster Chips (virtual currency for competitive games), the Trickster Cards Shop (merchandise), built-in video chat, Clubs for community event management, Duplicate Bridge events, Spades Lessons by Professor T, and Daily Challenges. The platform launched in July 2014 starting with Trickster Hearts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bridgit: Bridge bot for Bridge bidding which powers the 2/1 preview, created in collaboration with Ralph Lipe, an ACBL Silver Life Master and software engineer

Products and services

• Trickster Cards (Unified App) Flagship all-in-one card game application offering nine trick-taking games (Bridge, Euchre, 500, Hearts, Oh Hell, Pinochle, Pitch, Spades, Whist) with multiplayer matchmaking, private games, clubs, video chat, customizable house rules, and daily challenges. Available on web, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, Chromebook, and Windows.
• Trickster Bridge Contract Bridge implementation supporting SAYC and 2/1 bidding systems, Chicago and Rubber variants, Duplicate Bridge events with matchpoint scoring, and MiniBridge for beginners.
• Trickster Euchre Euchre card game with classic and Bid Euchre variants (Pepper, Hasenpfeffer, Hoss, Pfeffer), supporting 2-6 players with various deck sizes and house rules.
• Trickster 500 500 trick-taking card game with American and Australian variations, supporting 3-6 players with various deck sizes, widow/kitty options, and misère bids.
• Trickster Hearts Hearts trick-taking game supporting 3-6 players with solo and team modes, shooting the moon options, and various house rules.
• Trickster Oh Hell Oh Hell individual trick-taking game with variable hand sizes and custom deal patterns.
• Trickster Pinochle

Quantifiable outcome

• 10+ years of continuous operation and updates since 2014
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• World Series of SpadescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2024Comedian Clint Coley and team elevate Spades to a spectator sport with televised in-person tournaments and remote competitions on Trickster Cards. They work with the company to make it the best place to play Spades online. Partnership includes promotional content and tournament integration.
• Professor T (Spades Lessons)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 September 2024Expert Spades player, core member of World Series of Spades, and college professor who partnered to produce Spades lessons. Creates educational content teaching players how to play and improve. Has Instagram presence (@_professort) for promotion.
• Ralph Lipe (Bridgit)coreTechnology or Integration · 20 February 2024ACBL Silver Life Master and software engineer who created the Bridgit bot for Bridge bidding. Powers Trickster Cards' 2/1 bidding system preview. Like all bots, Bridgit is open source with code available on GitHub (github.com/TricksterCards/Bridgit).
• Korey 'KlutcH' Hines (Card Clubs)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBid Whist advocate and founding member of Capitol City Cardtel. Competes in card game events across the US and hosts events in the DMV area. Runs multiple online clubs on Trickster Cards while working with the company to refine the Clubs experience.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BridgeBaseOnline: The largest dedicated online Bridge platform, offering multiplayer Bridge, tournaments, and ACBL integration. Directly comparable to Trickster Bridge on core Bridge play, although Trickster differentiates with cross-device play and broader card game portfolio.
• CardzMania: Online multiplayer platform offering 40+ card and board games with customization, private tables, and tournaments. Directly comparable to Trickster on breadth of card games, rule customization, and free-to-play multiplayer model.
• World of Card Games: Web-based multiplayer card game platform supporting Hearts, Spades, Euchre, and other trick-taking games. Closely comparable to Trickster's free, browser-based multiplayer card game experience and direct competitor for casual cross-device play.
• CardGames.io: Free, instant-play browser card game site with multiplayer rooms for Spades, Hearts, Euchre, and similar trick-taking games. Closely comparable to Trickster's no-download, web-first, ad-supported experience.

Broad incumbents

• MobilityWare: Long-standing mobile card game publisher behind Solitaire, Blackjack, and similar titles. Comparable as a card-game app incumbent with substantially larger distribution and marketing scale than Trickster.
• Zynga: Major mobile/social casual game publisher with a portfolio that includes poker, solitaire, and other card titles. Relevant as a large-scale competitor in free-to-play social card gaming with materially bigger marketing and LiveOps budgets.
• Pogo (Electronic Arts): EA-owned casual gaming portal offering card, board, and puzzle games including Hearts, Spades, and Euchre. Overlaps with Trickster on free ad-supported card play but operates as a broad casual hub rather than a card-game specialist.

Emerging players

• Grand Games: Mobile card game studio behind titles such as Solitaire Grand Harvest and card club apps. Comparable as a newer entrant focused on mobile card games with social and tournament features, overlapping with Trickster's Compete-style mechanics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TricksterCards
• GitHubgithub.com/TricksterCards
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@trickstercards
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trickster-cards
• Instagraminstagram.com/trickstercards
• Facebookfacebook.com/trickstercardsinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trickster Cards