Players
4 or 5 (if 5 play, the dealer sits out.)
Dealing
Deal 6 to the talon, then 9 to each player in 5s and 4s.
Bidding
| Bid | Value | Exchange |
|---|---|---|
| Three | 1 | 3-1-1-1 |
| Two | 2 | 2-2-1-1 |
| One | 3 | 1-2-2-1 |
| Solo | 4 | 0-2-2-2 |
You must have an Honour (*, XXI, I) to bid. If 3 players have passed, the 4th may bid without an Honour speculating that one is in the talon. If she does not get one, she loses immediately. If all pass, the cards are thrown in and redealt, and a bockround is played.
Exchange
The exchanges are made in order from the top of the talon, without exposing them. Declarer’s discards are kept in front of her; the other 3 discards to the right of the dealer.
Honours and Kings may never be discarded; other trumps may be discarded – but it must be announced how many. If Declarer discards any Trumps, she must show them.
The hand may be annulled if any player is dealt 1) Four Kings, 2) No Trumps, or 3) the XXI, the I, or both as his only Trumps. If anyone chooses to annul, the hand is redealt and a bockround is played.
Announcements
Announcements start with Declarer. Each in turn may 1) Announce 8 or 9 Trumps, 2) Declarer must call a partner, 3) any player may announce one or more bonuses, and 4) may Kontra (Rekontra, Subkontra) a previously announced game or bonus.
After making any of the previous announcements the player says “Pass”, and the next in turn may make their announcements. This continues until all pass.
The Declarer must usually call the XX of trumps. The two times when another trump may be called is if the Declarer holds the XX herself (in which case she may, but need not, call the highest Trump below XX that she is missing), or if a cue bid is made (in which case the cued Trump must be called.)
Bonuses
| Bonus | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Trumps | 1 | Payed immediately by the other 3 players. |
| 9 Trumps | 2 | |
| Trull | 1 | The given value applies if the bonus is achieved silently; their values are doubled if announced. The multipliers for Double Game and Slam apply to the Game value. |
| Four Kings | 1 | |
| Double Game | ×2 | |
| Slam | ×3 | |
| Pagat Ultimo | 5 | |
| XXI Catch | 21 | Both members of the team are penalized, but only the holder of the XXI must wear the hat. |
Any player other than the Declarer who makes an Announcement (other than 8 or 9 Trumps) is assumed to be Declarer’s partner. If they are not, they must first Kontra the game or a bonus Declarer made to show themselves an opponent.
Play
You must follow the suit led if you can. If you cannot, you must trump. Otherwise you may play any card.
Scoring
Cards are counted singly. 48 points are needed to win. 71 points are needed for a Double Game, and every trick for a Slam.
One member of each team pays or receives the values of the game and bonuses from one member of the other team. If the Declarer plays alone, she pays and receives from all 3 opponents.
Normally, only one of the Game, Double Game, or Slam are scored. However, announcements and Kontras between the partnerships can complicate this. In these instances, the table found at www.pagat.com may be used.
Invitations
An invitation is a bid that guarantees the holding of the XIX or XVIII, and requires the Declarer to call that trump as her partner. This is indicated by bidding one level higher than the minimum (for the XIX) or two levels higher (for the XVIII).
To bid an invitation, you should have a strong hand and a high honour. If your only honour is the Pagat, you must announce Pagat Ultimo.
Similarly, a Yielded Game is an invitation announcing that you have the XX. This is effected by bidding Three, someone else bidding Two, and then passing.
Card Ranks and Values
The cards rank as follows from high to low in each suit:
| ♣♠ | ♥♦ | Trumps | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King | R | R | 5 | ’Scuse | * | 5 | |
| Queen | D | D | 4 | Mond | XXI | 5 | |
| Knight | C | C | 3 | XX... | 1 | ||
| Jack | V | V | 2 | II | 1 | ||
| 10 | 1 | 1 | Pagat | I | 5 | ||