A card game needing small contracts (8)
I believe the answer is:
abridges
'contracts' is the definition.
('abridge' can be a synonym of 'contract')
'a card game needing small' is the wordplay.
'card game' becomes 'bridge' (bridge is a kind of card game).
'needing' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'small' becomes 's' (abbreviation - e.g. clothes size).
'a'+'bridge'+'s'='ABRIDGES'
(Other definitions for abridges that I've seen before include "Makes short work of" , "Shortens" .)