The Canadian Rule

The Canadian rule is an optional rule that has been used in all major tournaments to date. (June 2007).

Its main function is to avoid an even bid by the leader in the last hand of a game.The 'even bid' tactic often results in the leader coasting home as everyone's bid is made and as there is little or no change in the final standings.

It also provides an opportunity to catch the leader because he/she may be forced to make a bid other than the one he would prefer to make.
It is a controversial rule but generally is favored by Wizard players as a group.

The Canadian Rule
If the dealer is clearly in the lead on the score card (not tied) he/she cannot bid so as to make the bids 'even' unless he does so by bidding zero.

* The dealer can bid zero in all situations.

An 'even' bid is one in which the number of tricks available equals the number of tricks bid.

As many knows, I'm not a big fan of this rule.

I'd like to add to all my previous comments that this rule is ALWAYS the rule I have the most trouble explaining to new players. So I could live without it.

Unless a complicated rule is very important in a game, the easier it is to learn a new game, the better it is.

(However, I must admit that once all the players understand this rule, it can add fun to a game, specially with the table version.)