belote

Belote is a four-player trick-taking card game played by two teams of two, seated opposite each other. It uses a 32-card deck (7 through Ace in each suit). The objective is to score points by winning tricks and by fulfilling a contract declared during the bidding phase.

Setup and dealing: Each player receives eight cards, typically dealt in three rounds (for example 3-2-3). After the deal, the next card is turned up to indicate the potential trump suit. Players bid in clockwise order to name a trump and commit to a minimum point total. The highest bidder becomes the declarer; if all players pass, the hand is redealt. There are regional variants that include or omit certain bidding options and that introduce doubling mechanics.

Play and ranking: The declarer’s side leads first, and play continues clockwise. Players must follow suit if possible; if not, they may play any card. Trump cards outrank non-trump cards. In the trump suit, the ranking is Jack, Nine, Ace, Ten, King, Queen, Eight, Seven; in non-trump suits the order is Ace, Ten, King, Queen, Jack, Nine, Eight, Seven. The goal is to win tricks and accumulate points from the values of the captured cards, plus bonuses.

Scoring and bonuses: Card values are typically Ace 11, Ten 10, King 4, Queen 3, Jack 2, with Nine, Eight, and Seven contributing 0 points. The total points from all captured cards are divided between the two sides according to who wins each trick. In addition, a player who holds the king and queen of the trump suit and plays them in the same hand earns a 20-point bonus (belote and rebelote). Many rule sets also award a 10-point bonus for taking the last trick. If the declarer fulfils their contract, their side scores the points won; if not, the defenders score. A major variant, Belote Coinche, allows doubling the contract and re-doubling the stakes through specific calls.

Variants and culture: Belote has several regional variants and is especially popular in France and other Francophone regions. It is commonly played socially and in clubs, and exists in numerous online and mobile formats.