Belote
Game instructions
Getting started
Start a new game or join an open game of a fellow player.
If you start a new game you decide who is allowed at the table and how high the stakes are. There are 3 game variants: you may decide, whether you want to play classic Belote with or without announcements, or whether you prefer the special version Contrée.
Participating players, bets and credits as well as further details (version of the game, trump of the round etc.) are displayed at the right side of the gaming table. You may chat with other players using the chat function.
Gameplay
Belote is a card game for 4 players, which is played with a deck of 32 cards (4 suits with Ace, 10, King, Queen, Jack, 9, 8, 7 - in descending order).
The order for the trump suit is different: Trump Jack and trump 9 rank high, which means the order for trumps is as follows: Jack, 9, Ace, 10, King, Queen, 8, 7.
The players facing each other form the 2 teams. The game is played counter-clockwise. The aim of the game is to be on the team that first reaches the point limit (501 in Belote Classic and 701 in Belote Contrée).
How to determine the trump suit
In the classic Belote variant each player initially receives 5 cards. Then the next card of the deck is turned face-up. The forehand must then choose to take the card or not. If the forehand passes, the next players take it in turns. If a player accepts the card, the suit of the card is the trump suit. If none of the players wish to take the card, a second round follows, whereby the players can call for the desired trump suit. If a player calls, he/she must take the face-up card in his hand. If all 4 players decide against a trump suit, the cards are reshuffled and a new round begins. The player next to the forehand becomes the new forehand.
Once a trump suit is selected, each player is dealt 3 additional cards. The player, who called trump receives 2 cards. Each player holds 8 cards now.
How to determine the trump suit with Belote Contrée
With Belote Contrée all cards are dealt at once, each player receives 8 cards. Each player in turn has the opportunity to call a trump suit. For this he/she must call a game value and suit. The game values range from 80 to 160 points and increase in steps of 10 points. This signifies how many points your team will at least take in the game. If the next player also wants to call a trump, he/she has to call a higher game value.
If a team announces a “capot” (slam) it has to win all the tricks.
If a player does not wish to call a trump, he/she can pass. Once all of the remaining players have passed following a call the trump suit is determined. The player, who selected the trump, can then decide whether he/she raises the value of the game again. The opponents can then click "Double" to double the game value. This can be countered with a call of "Redouble" by the player who selected the trump and his/her partner to again double the game value.
Gameplay
Following the trump selection the forehand starts the game. You have to follow suit. If you cannot follow the suit played you have to play trump and - if possible - a higher trump card than the previous player. If your partner has already trumped the trick you can play a random card. That means you must follow trump and trick as long as the opposing team is winning the trick. The player who takes a trick is the next to play.
Announcements
With the game version Belote Classic you can either call "sequences" or "fours" (carré) during the first trick. A sequence consists of at least 3 consecutive cards of the same suit. A four (carré) consists of 4 cards of the same value. The points from calls are added to those from tricks. However, only the team with the highest call can score points, the call of the other team doesn't count.
The following order applies:
- A four (carré) is always higher than a sequence.
- A higher four beats a lower four.
- The length of the sequence decides. If the length is equal, the higher ranking sequence wins. If the rank of the sequences is equal, the sequence made up of trumps wins. Otherwise, the sequence of the player closest to the forehand wins.
Belote and Rebelote
Belote and Rebelote can be called with both game versions (Classic and Contrée). If you hold the trump Queen and King, you can call "Belote" as soon as you play the first of these cards, and "Rebelote" when you place the second card in the middle of the table.
End of the game
At the end of each round the points taken with tricks and the calls of each team will be added up. The team that reaches 501 points (Belote Classic) or 701 points (Belote Contrée) first wins.
Scoring
For each card of a trick points will be awarded.
The following applies for the trump suit:
- Jack: 20 points
- Nine: 14 points
- Ace: 11 points
- 10: 10 points
- King: 4 points
- Queen: 3 points
The following applies for the other suits:
- Ace: 11 points
- 10: 10 points
- King: 4 points
- Queen: 3 points
- Jack: 2 points
The following points are awarded for calls:
- Belote – Rebelote: 20 points
- Sequence of three: 20 points
- Sequence of four: 50 points
- Sequence of 5: 100 points
- Four Jacks: 200 points
- Four Nines: 150 points
- Other fours: 100 points
Point scoring Belote Classic
With Belote Classic points from tricks and calls (only calls of the team, that made the highest call, are counted) are totalled up for both teams. In addition, 10 points are awarded for the team that took the last trick and 20 points for Belote-Rebelote. If all tricks are won by the same team, this team is awarded 100 points instead of 10 points for taking the last trick. If the team, which called the trump suit, has more points than the opposing team, it wins and the total points won by both teams are added up to give a grand total. If this team has less points than the other team, the opposing team receives all of the trick points as well as the points of any calls made and the losers will get no points.
Points scoring with Belote Contrée
Points taken from tricks are totalled up with Belote Contrée. In addition, 10 points are awarded for the team that took the last trick and 20 points for Belote-Rebelote. If a team scores a "Capot" (all tricks), it receives 250 points. If the team, which called the trump suit, has reached the points limit, the total points won by both teams are added to give a grand total. The team, which selected the trump, also receives points for the game value. If, however the trump-calling team failed to reach the points limit, all of the points go to the other team.
