Four players, two teams — You & North vs East & West.
Play with a 32-card deck (7 through Ace in each suit).
First team to reach the target score wins.
Each hand has four phases: Deal & Bid, Declare, Play Tricks, Score.
The Jack of trump — the Yas — is the highest card, worth 20pts.
The 9 of trump — the Menel — is second-highest, worth 14pts.
The next highest cards are Ace and 10, worth 11pts and 10pts respectively. These are the highest ranking cards in plain suits.
70pts < 80pts < Q3pts < K4pts < 1010pts < A11pts < 914pts < J20pts
70pts < 80pts < 90pts < J2pts < Q3pts < K4pts < 1010pts < A11pts
Each player gets dealt six cards (three then three), then two side cards face-down. The dealer flips one side card face-up — its suit is the proposed trump.
Starting left of the dealer, each player may either Accept the proposed suit or Pass.
Whoever accepts becomes the trump caller.
If all four pass, a second round of bidding begins where players may call any suit except the one initially proposed.
The dealer must call if everyone passes again — this is called being "On The Bima."
Once trump is decided, everyone picks up their side cards — bringing each hand to eight cards.
Before the first trick starts, players have their only opportunity to declare any scoring combinations of cards they might be holding.
There are two types of scoring combinations:
Sequences — Three consecutive cards in one suit = 20pts. Four = 50pts.
Sequences use standard rank order: 7-8-9-10-J-Q-K-A.
Only one sequence counts per hand; lower ones are outranked.
Tiebreakers (in order): 50 beats 20 → higher top card → trump suit → forehand (player closest to dealer's left).
Bella — holding both the Q and K of trumps = 20pts. Bella is declared only when the first of the pair is played during the hand.
If you forget to declare, you forfeit the points.
The player left of the dealer leads the first trick, and play continues to the left.
You must follow suit if you can. The highest card of the leading suit wins — unless it is trumped.
If you can't follow suit, you must play a trump.
Even if your partner is winning the trick, you must play a trump if you do not have the leading suit.
If you can't do either, you can play any remaining suit.
Each team gets points from all of the following that they have won in tricks or declarations:
Plain cards + Yas + Menel + Shtoch + any sequences + Bella
If the trump caller's team scores more than the opponents, both teams keep their points.
If the trump caller's team scores equal or fewer points, they forfeit all of their points to their opponents.
Winning Shtoch (the last trick) is worth 10pts.
Winning the Yas is worth 20pts.
Winning the Menel is worth 14pts.
Holding Bella is worth 20pts.
Declared 20s and 50s are worth 20pts and 50pts respectively.
Every card is dealt in every hand — pay attention to what has been played.
Protect your Yas & Menel — they're worth 34pts combined.
Leading with the Yas can flush out opponents' (and teammate's) trumps.
Don't call trump lightly — if your team doesn't outscore opponents, you forfeit everything.
A strong calling hand: Yas + Menel + several trumps, plus strong plains or a declaration.
Weaker hands: weigh trumps vs plains, and gamble on what others hold.
Plan for Shtoch (the last trick) — it is worth 10pts.
Declare your sequences! Otherwise you miss out on big points.