Basic Rules

Scoring
Trump Suit Regular Suit
J 20 (+2) A 11
9 14 10 10
A 11 K 4
10 10 Q 3
K 4 J 2
Q 3 9 0
8 0 8 0
7 0 7 0
“Bonuses”

  • 3 in a row (normal card progression, e.g. Q-K-A, 9-
    10-J, 7-8-9) = 20 points
    a. If players on opposite teams both have
    a 20, the “higher” set gets the points. If
    the same, then the trump set gets the
    points. If same and non-trump, you
    each get 10.
    b. If players on same team both have a 20,
    you get both (as long as rule a. doesn’t
    apply)
  • 4 in a row (e.g. J-Q-K-A, 8-9-10-J) = 50 points.
    Same rules a. and b.
  • multiple sets of 3 or 4 are additive (i.e. you can
    personally have a 50 and a 20), but not
    overlapping. Your 50 automatically nullifies an
    opponents 20, but additive to your teammate!
  • Total of 164 points, without bonuses.
  • If team that declared trump suit gets less than 1/2
    of total points (total = 164 + bonuses), they go
    “bait”, and other team gets ALL the points. If even
    split, then you get 0, and other team gets their half
    only.
  • If any team wins ALL the tricks, they double their
    score! It’s called a “black hand”
  • If you had any bonuses, per above, but your team
    did not win a trick (i.e. you went black), you do not
    get the bonus points.
  • NOTE: NO TALKING OR SHARING INFORMATION OR SIGNALING WITH YOUR PARTNER!!!
  • Dealing & Cards
  • Use only 7-A. put aside 2-6. Total of 32
    cards used
  • Dealer deals 3 cards to each person, and go
    around twice (each person gets 6 cards)
  • Flip over bottom card.
  • Going clockwise, starting left of dealer,
    decide if you want that suit to be trump.
  • If no one wants it, then go around again,
    with opportunity to declare any OTHER suit
    you want.
  • If it goes around twice back to dealer,
    dealer is on the “Bima” and must choose a
    suit (any suit – even the first suit that got
    rejected the first time around).
  • Deal 2 more cards to each person… dealer
    picks up the overturned card as their 2 nd
    card.
  • After all cards are dealt, declare “bonuses”
  • Play begins left of dealer and goes
    clockwise.
  • During play, if YOU play Q & K of trump suit
    (i.e. you were in possession of those 2
    cards), once the second of the two is
    played, declare “bella!” and you get 20
    bonus points (but ONLY declared upon
    playing; not in advance). It doesn’t matter
    if you won the trick or not.
  • Winner of last trick gets 10 extra points
    (this is part of the 164 points)
  • Trump rules
  • You can start with a trump at any time (not
    like “breaking hearts”)
  • You must always follow suit
  • If trump is led, additional trump rule: you
    must always “over-trump”, if you can.
  • If you cannot follow suit, you MUST trump,
    if you have one. Note: rule 3 applies here
    as well… so if you cannot follow suit, and it
    has already been trumped by previous
    player, you MUST “over-trump”, if you can.
    If you can’t, then you don’t even have to
    play a trump card.