Belotecoinche or classic

Goal of the game

Score points by winning tricks, in a team with the player sitting opposite you. A deal holds 162 points in total; the team that chose trumps must collect more than the other, otherwise it “goes down” and the opponents take everything.

Games are usually played to 501 or 1,000 points.

Card order — the point that confuses everyone

• In trumps: Jack (20), Nine (14), Ace (11), Ten (10), King (4), Queen (3), Eight (0), Seven (0).
• In the other suits: Ace (11), Ten (10), King (4), Queen (3), Jack (2), Nine (0), Eight (0), Seven (0).
• So the Jack and the Nine completely change status depending on the trump suit. A Jack is worth 20 points in trumps and 2 elsewhere: it is the master card of the game.
• The Ten stays above the King everywhere — another frequent source of beginner mistakes.

Dealing and bidding

• The dealer gives 5 cards to each player (3 then 2), and turns the next card face up: that is the proposed trump.
• First round: each player, starting left of the dealer, either takes that card as trumps or passes.
• Second round: if everyone passed, each player may take by naming another suit as trumps.
• The taker receives the turned-up card; the dealer then completes every hand to 8 cards.
• If nobody takes in either round, the cards are dealt again.

How you play a card

• Following the suit led is mandatory, always.
• If you cannot follow suit, you must trump, that is, play a trump card — unless your partner is already winning the trick.
• If an opponent has already trumped, you must over-trump with a higher trump if you have one.
• When trumps are led, you must play higher if you can.
• Only when you have neither the suit nor a trump may you discard freely.

Scoring

• The cards in the tricks you win are added up using the values above: 152 points in all in the cards.
• Last trick (“dix de der”): 10 extra points for the team that wins the final trick. Total for the deal: 162.
• Belote and rebelote: 20 points for the player holding both the King and the Queen of trumps. They must announce them out loud as they play them — “belote” on the first, “rebelote” on the second. If not announced, it does not count.
• Capot: a team that wins all eight tricks scores 250 points instead of 162.
• Going down: if the taker’s team scores less than the opponents, it scores 0 and the opponents take all 162 points (plus any belote, which always stays with whoever holds it).

Coinche

• In the coinche version, you do not take a suit: you bid a numbered contract, from 80 points up, in a trump suit.
• The opponents can coinche — double the points — if they think the contract will fail.
• The taker can then surcoinche, which quadruples the stake.
• Contract made: the bidding team scores its contract. Contract failed: the opponents score 162 plus the announced contract.

The mistakes that cost the most

• Forgetting to announce belote. Twenty points lost through inattention, and that is often the margin of the game.
• Taking with a bare Jack. A lone Jack with neither the Nine nor length behind it does not last.
• Leading the Ace of the taker’s suit. They will trump it. Attack their weak suit instead.
• Holding on to your trumps. The taker must draw the opponents’ trumps early to free their Aces and Tens.
• Neglecting the last trick. Ten points is exactly what separates a successful deal from going down.

Controls

Keyboard and mouse

• Click a card to play it. Unplayable cards are greyed out: the follow-suit rule is applied automatically.
• Bids are made with the Take / Pass buttons.
• Belote and rebelote are announced for you as you play the card.

Touch screen

• Tap a card to play it; the fan folds back automatically.
• The trick stays on screen for a second before being collected; tap to speed it up.
• The team score is always visible at the top of the screen.

Frequently asked questions

What is the strongest card in belote?

The Jack of trumps, worth 20 points, which beats everything else. Next comes the Nine of trumps, at 14 points. In ordinary suits, the Ace rules.

How many points are there in a deal?

162: 152 points in the cards, plus 10 points for winning the last trick. Belote and rebelote add 20 points for whoever holds them.

Do you have to trump?

Yes, if you cannot follow suit and your partner is not already winning the trick. And if an opponent trumped before you, you must over-trump when you can.

What happens if nobody takes?

After the second round of bidding, if no player has taken, the cards are collected and dealt again by the next player.

Do you have to announce belote out loud?

Yes, under the traditional rules: if it is not announced when the card is played, it does not count. Here, the announcement is made for you automatically.

More classics, free as well

• Blackjack — twenty-one with virtual chips, no real money
• Checkers — the 10×10 board, mandatory captures and the majority rule
• Minesweeper — the grid, the flags, the timer