Bid Whist is a fun and challenging trick-taking card game played with partners. It's particularly popular in African-American communities and the U.S. military. Here's a quick rundown:

Players and Decks:

Four players in two teams (partners sit opposite each other).
Standard 52-card deck with two jokers (optional) for a total of 54 cards.
Goal:

Be the first team to reach 7 points or force the other team to -7 points.
Gameplay:

Deals and bids happen in a clockwise direction.
Bidding determines the trump suit (or if there's no trump) and how tricks are won. Bids range from "Pass" to a specific number of tricks (usually 7 or higher).
Players aim to win at least the number of tricks they bid on (their "contract").
Points are scored based on winning bids and tricks.