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The game of belote is a French trick card game (a “trick” is a round) usually played by two teams of two using a 32-card deck (A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7), which is not shuffled throughout the game. It is one of the most popular card games in France and is fast pace, exciting and strategy-filled. The goal of the game is to reach the point total target that the teams agreed upon before the game before your opponent (usually 1000/1500 points).

Playing Belote

The game of belote consists of three stages: bidding, declaration and play. The direction of movement is always counter clockwise with teammates sitting across from each other. Players are dealt a series of three cards, followed by another pair of cards. The next card is placed face up and the person to the right of dealer begins by deciding whether to pick up the card implying that its suit will serve as the trump (highest value). Unlike in bridge, all suits in belote are of equal value. If a player passes on the option to pick up the card, the opportunity is passed on. If no players pick up the card, bidding resumes again on the same card. In this second round of bidding on the face up card, its suit has no meaning and the player may call a different suit which will serve as trump. If no other bids are made, he picks up this card and all players receive additional three cards. Bidding ends when three ‘passes’ have been called. Now play begins with the person to the right of the dealer placing the lead card, which can be of any value or suit. Players now have a chance to “declare” their cards with the highest declaration receiving points (for example a sequence of five cards is worth 100 points). A “belote” is a king and queen of a trump suit and is worth 20 points. Declaration does not take place in a no-trump game. Players now must place cards of the same suit of the lead card or play a trump card if they do not have that suit. If a trump card is played, it must be ‘over-trumped’ by a higher trump card. The highest card wins the trick and the winner leads off the following trick.

Card Value

In a trump suit jacks are the highest with J,9,A,10,K,Q,8,7 following. In the other suits, which are not trump, ace is the highest followed by 10, K, Q, J, 9, 8 and 7. In an all trump game the sequence will match that of a trump suit (J, 9, A, 10, Q, 8, 7) and in a no-trump game, that of a non-trump sequence (A,10,K,Q,J,9,8,7).

Scoring

Teams receive points for tricks won, bonus for winning the last trick (10 points) and for other events. A team will lose its points to the opponents if they did not meet their declared contract. The score of each round (8 tricks) is divided by ten and rounded down. Players keep track of scoring and the first team to reach the point-total goal which was agreed prior to the game, wins.

Strategy

Like many other trick card games, the game of belote involves signaling among teammates. A player’s action signals to his partner which cards they have or do not have (as well as suits) and this influences the whole course of the game. Declaration is key as it serves as the goal towards which a team must aim to and the defenders prevent.