# EMW Back Alley > Strategic trick-taking card game with progressive rounds and multiple player modes. (iPhone/iPad app by Elliot Weimann.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emw-back-alley/id1662281736 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Elliot Weimann](https://appshunter.io/developer/882654171) - Category: Games, Card - Price: Free - Rating: 3.60/5 from 5 App Store ratings · 5 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.6 · 36 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2023-01-17 - Data updated: 2026-08-18 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emw-back-alley/id1662281736/reviews.md ## What is EMW Back Alley? Back Alley or Back Alley Bridge is a card game that originated from the military, probably sometime during World War II. The game is similar to bridge and spades. The goal of the game is to win tricks, by which you score points. The idea is to guess the number of tricks you think you'll make, the more accurate you are without guessing too much, the more points you make. The game starts with one card in doubles play and two cards in singles play, progressively going up one card each round up to 13 cards - then from 13 back down to the number of cards the game started with. The idea is to get the most points by the end of the game. For more detailed rules, download the app or visit my website at the support url. This game has two versions, a doubles version with four players with two teams of two and a singles version with three players. This is a great game to play with family and friends! ## Key features - Trick-taking gameplay - Progressive card rounds - Singles and doubles play - Score-based point system - Military-inspired card game ## Recent user reviews (5 of 5) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emw-back-alley/id1662281736/reviews.md ### 3/5 — Help! *2026-03-20* I love this game…I used to play it with real cards with my friends in the 70’s. More recently, I’ve loved it on my iPad. But after the most recent iPad Apple update, the cards are really small and there doesn’t seem to be any way to change it. I can’t see the cards well enough to play. Can you help? **Developer response:** Thank you for your feedback. We've added a new setting that lets players increase the card size for improved readability. Please update to the latest version and look for the card size option in Settings. We appreciate your suggestion and hope this improves your experience. ### 5/5 — Love this game! *2024-03-26* I grew up playing it so it’s very cool to see it in app form now. I agree with some other comments, there’s some room improvement in the animation. I wish the card symbols were bigger, it’s hard to tell the difference between clubs and spades. Very fun nonetheless! ### 5/5 — Addictive game *2024-03-18* I enjoy card games with strategy. I like how you can play with someone you know in a different household. ### 2/5 — Please Improve… *2024-02-19* Along with need to improve the speed of the deals, the score for the remaining 7-8 hands does not appear. This you are unable to know who wins or how far ahead/behind you are. Also, after game is over the game is not saved and the Stats does not contain any of the first 9 games played. ### 3/5 — Too slow *2023-02-28* I would love this app if it wasnt so blame slow!!! There is no reason the deal has to take more than a few seconds. But it pokes along ridiculously. Please, please speed it up. Also i can barely see the tine emblems on the cards. A better layout is needed. ## Frequently asked questions about EMW Back Alley ### What is EMW Back Alley? EMW Back Alley is a free card game that originated from the military. It's a trick-taking game similar to Bridge and Spades where players score points by accurately guessing the number of tricks they will win. ### How many players can play EMW Back Alley? EMW Back Alley offers two versions: a singles version for three players and a doubles version for four players in two teams of two. ### What are the game modes in EMW Back Alley? The game features both a singles mode for three players and a doubles mode for four players, allowing for different group sizes and strategic dynamics. ### How does scoring work in EMW Back Alley? Players score points by guessing the number of tricks they will win. The more accurate the guess, without overshooting, the more points are awarded. The game aims to achieve the highest score by the end. ### What devices does EMW Back Alley support? EMW Back Alley is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod, making it accessible for Apple users. ### Is EMW Back Alley free to play? Yes, EMW Back Alley is completely free to download and play, with no in-app purchases or advertisements. ### When was EMW Back Alley last updated? The latest version of EMW Back Alley is 2.1, which was last updated on March 13, 2026. The app was initially released on January 17, 2023. ### What is the age rating for EMW Back Alley? EMW Back Alley has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of players. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.7 — 2026-08-17 bug fixes and improvements ### 2.6 — 2026-06-13 bug fixes ### 2.5 — 2026-06-11 ui improvements ### 2.4 — 2026-05-12 bug fixes ### 2.3 — 2026-04-08 UI fixes ## Apps similar to EMW Back Alley | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Five Hundred (500) - Expert AI](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-hundred-500-expert-ai/id1559298243) | 4.7 (2,104) | Free | Games | | [Hardwood Spades](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardwood-spades/id897713434) | 4.7 (941) | Free | Games | | [Bridge by NeuralPlay](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bridge-by-neuralplay/id1544516848) | 4.6 (6,785) | Free | Games | | [Classic Bridge Card Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/classic-bridge-card-game/id1599860876) | 4.7 (3,537) | Free | Games | | [Pinochle - Expert AI](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pinochle-expert-ai/id1563081508) | 4.6 (1,998) | Free | Games | | [Bridge V+, bridge card game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bridge-v-plus-bridge-card-game/id479242966) | 4.5 (6,459) | Free | Games | ## More apps by Elliot Weimann - [Nabofeed](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nabofeed/id1390117972) All apps by Elliot Weimann: https://appshunter.io/developer/882654171 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-18.*