How to Play Belote
France's national card game — turned-card trump, the Jack on top.
Also known as Belot · Bleot · Baloot (Arabic)
Learn Belote as Vanikar plays it: turned-card trump, trump rankings, card points and Belote-Rebelote. See why the jack and nine outrank the ace.
The trump jack and nine outrank the ace
Hearts are trump. J♥ beats 9♥, and 9♥ beats A♥. Together these cards are worth 20 + 14 + 11 = 45 card points. Card strength and point value both change with trump.
| Cards | Points |
|---|---|
| J♥ | 20 |
| 9♥ | 14 |
| A♥ | 11 |
| Total | 45 |
Vanikar plays classic turned-card Belote: take the proposed suit or pass, then name any suit if all pass. The team that takes trump needs 82 of the 162 points. The trump king and queen earn the separate 20-point Belote-Rebelote bonus.
Practise this game in your browser🎯 Objective
If your team takes trump, score at least 82 of the 162 points (Belote-Rebelote included). First team to 501 points wins.
🃏 Belote Setup & Rules
- Uses a 32-card deck (7 through Ace — remove 2s–6s). Four players in 2 partnerships.
- Deal 5 cards each and turn one card face up to propose trump. Once a suit is taken, the taker gets the turned card plus two more and everyone else three, so all hold 8.
▶ How to Play Belote
- TRUMP: Starting left of the dealer, each player either takes the turned card's suit as trump (Take it) or passes. If all four pass, each in turn may choose any of the four suits — the turned suit included — and Bid, or pass again; if all pass again, the hand is redealt.
- TRUMP CARD RANKING (high→low): J(20) → 9(14) → A(11) → 10(10) → K(4) → Q(3) → 8, 7 (0).
- NON-TRUMP RANKING: A(11) → 10(10) → K(4) → Q(3) → J(2) → 9, 8, 7 (0).
- BELOTE-REBELOTE: hold K AND Q of trump and play them both = 20 bonus pts. The app awards it automatically; there is nothing to announce.
- If the team that took trump scores fewer than 82: they score 0 and the opponents take all 162 card points.
🎬 Watch: How to Play Belote
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📖 Detailed Guide
Setting up your table
- Belote is 4 players in two partnerships using a 32-card deck (7 through Ace). First team to 501 points wins the match.
- Five cards are dealt to each player and one card is turned face up to propose the trump suit. After trump is settled the taker receives the turned card plus two more and everyone else three, so all hold eight.
- Before trump is chosen, burn these two rankings into memory — they're what makes Belote Belote: in TRUMP, J (20) > 9 (14) > A (11) > 10 (10) > K (4) > Q (3) > 8 > 7; in the other suits, A (11) > 10 (10) > K (4) > Q (3) > J (2) > 9 > 8 > 7.
Taking trump
- Starting left of the dealer, each player either takes the turned card's suit as trump or passes.
- If all four pass, a second round begins: each player in turn may choose any of the four suits as trump — the turned suit included — or pass again. Eight passes and the hand is redealt.
- Taking trump is a promise: "my team will score at least 82 of the 162 card points with this suit as trump."
- Holding the Jack and 9 of the proposed suit is a near-certain take; the Jack alone is a fair one.
Trick play
- The player left of the dealer leads. You must follow the led suit if you can.
- Void in the led suit? You must play a trump if you have one — any trump, there is no obligation to overtrump. The app enforces the follow rules.
- Exception: if your partner is currently winning the trick, you're free to discard instead of trumping.
- Highest trump wins the trick, or the highest card of the led suit if no trump appears. The winner leads next.
Belote-Rebelote and scoring
- Hold both the King AND Queen of trump? Play them both and the app awards Belote-Rebelote on its own — nothing to announce — a guaranteed 20-point bonus that even counts toward a failed contract.
- The last trick is worth 10 bonus points ("dix de der"), bringing each hand's total to 162.
- Reach 82 and both teams keep what they captured. Fall short and your side scores 0 while the other side takes all 162; a Belote-Rebelote bonus stays with the team that held the King and Queen either way.
- Hands repeat until a team reaches 501.
📊 Belote Scoring
Card points total 162 (including 10 for the last trick). The team that took trump needs 82 or it scores nothing and the other side takes all 162. Belote-Rebelote adds 20. First team to 501 wins.
❓ Belote — Frequently Asked Questions
How many players do you need for Belote?
Belote is played with 4 players. On Vanikar, empty seats can be filled with AI opponents so you can always start a game.
How is trump chosen in Belote?
A card is turned up after five cards each. In the first round each player may take that suit as trump or pass; if all pass, each may name another suit. If everyone passes twice the hand is redealt.
What are the card values in Belote?
In trump, the Jack is worth 20 and the 9 is worth 14, then Ace 11, 10 10, King 4, Queen 3. In the other suits Ace 11, 10 10, King 4, Queen 3, Jack 2; 9s, 8s and 7s score nothing. The last trick adds 10.
What is Belote-Rebelote?
Holding the King and Queen of trump. Announce the first as you play it and the second as it follows, and your team scores 20 whatever the result of the hand.
Do you have to trump in Belote?
If you cannot follow suit you must trump, and if a trump has already been played you must overtrump when you can. Only when your partner is winning the trick may you discard instead.
📱 Belote in the app
A step-by-step look at a real game on the table.
