Baloot – Rules

Play Baloot against the computer

1. Overview

What is it about? Baloot is the most popular card game in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states and belongs to the Belote family. A face-up card is “bought”: either as hokm (with trumps) or as sun (no trumps, counts double). The buying team must take more than half of the points. Card sequences (“projects”) score extra points.

2. Cards and material

• Pack: 32 French cards: 7, 8, 9, 10, jack, queen, king, ace in four suits.
• Ranking and points:

• Last trick: 10 points.
• Face up and face down: Hands concealed, the buying card face up, tricks face down.

3. Preparation and start

1. Deal: Everyone gets 5 cards; the next card is turned face up.
2. Buying: Starting right of the dealer, each says hokm, sun, ashkal or passes.
   • Hokm: The buying card's suit becomes trumps (in the second round another suit may be chosen).
   • Sun: No trumps; beats any hokm bid.
   • Ashkal: You buy as sun, but the card goes to your partner.
3. Completing the deal: The buyer gets the buying card plus 2 cards, everyone else 3. Everyone has 8 cards.
4. Start: The player right of the dealer leads.

Start example: The buying card is the ace of spades. You hold the jack and 9 of spades and say “hokm”: spades are trumps.

4. Goal and winning

• A deal: The buying team must take more than half of all points.
• Fallen: Otherwise the opponents get all points of the deal.
• Game: The first team to 152 points wins.

5. Play in detail

A trick.

1. The leader plays any card.
2. Follow suit if possible.
3. In hokm: A player who can't follow must trump and over-trump if possible (unless their partner is winning the trick).
4. In sun: A player who can't follow discards anything.
5. The highest trump wins, otherwise the highest card of the suit led.

Projects (mashari'). Declared at the first trick:

Only the team with the highest project scores its projects; baloot always counts.

Example with Players 1 to 4. Hokm in spades. Players 1 and 4 against Players 2 and 3. Order: Player 3, 1, 2, 4.

1. Player 3 leads the ace of hearts. Player 1 has no hearts and must trump: 7 of spades.
2. Player 2 has no hearts and must over-trump: queen of spades.
3. Player 4 follows with the king of hearts. Trick to Player 2: ace 11 + 7 0 + queen 3 + king 4 = 18 points.

6. Scoring

• Conversion: At the end card points are converted into game points.
  • Hokm: 162 card points (with the last trick) = 16 points (card points ÷ 10, rounded).
  • Sun: 130 card points = 26 points (card points ÷ 10 × 2).
• Projects are converted the same way (e.g. sira in hokm = 2 points, in sun = 4).
• Fallen: All points of the deal go to the opponents.
• Recording: “Lana” (us) and “Lahum” (them).

7. Special rules and situations

• Double: The opponents may double a hokm (variant, with further levels).
• Tie: If both have exactly half, the buying team has fallen.
• Al-kaboot: Taking all 8 tricks scores a bonus (25 points in hokm, 44 in sun).
• Revoke: The offending team loses the deal.
• Common mistakes: not over-trumping in hokm; buying sun with too few aces.

8. Variants

Standard in this description: hokm and sun, ashkal allowed, game to 152.

When playing against the computer on cardgames.zone you play with the player opposite as your partner, anticlockwise, to 152 or 100 points; hokm, sun and ashkal are available.

9. Tips for beginners

1. Jack and 9: With both in one suit, hokm is almost always good.
2. Sun with aces: Three or four aces call for sun – it counts double.
3. Count on your partner: They usually bring one or two tricks.
4. Declare projects: A sira brings quick points.
5. Draw trumps: As buyer, lead trumps early.
6. Last trick: 10 points – keep a strong card.
7. Don't fall: Better pass than buy with weak cards.

10. Summary in 10 steps

1. 32 cards, two teams, anticlockwise.
2. 5 cards each, one buying card face up.
3. Buy: hokm (trumps), sun (no trumps) or ashkal.
4. Buyer: buying card + 2, others 3 each.
5. Follow suit; in hokm otherwise trump and over-trump.
6. Trumps: jack 20, 9 14; otherwise ace 11, 10 10.
7. Declare projects at the first trick.
8. Buyers need more than half, otherwise everything to the opponents.
9. Hokm 16 points, sun 26 points per deal.
10. First team to 152 points wins.

11. Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between hokm and sun?

Hokm has a trump suit, sun has none. Sun counts double.

What does ashkal mean?

You buy the card as sun but give it to your partner, who then leads the contract.

Must I trump in hokm?

Yes, if you can't follow suit – unless your partner is currently winning the trick.

What is baloot?

King and queen of trumps – 20 points, and the game's namesake.

How many points per deal?

16 in hokm, 26 in sun (plus projects).

How long does a game take?

To 152 points about 45 to 90 minutes.

Origin & history

Baloot is a close relative of the French Belote and probably came to the Arabian Peninsula in the 20th century via workers and traders. In Saudi Arabia it is the most popular card game, with large tournaments.