Kachufol – Rules
Play Kachufol against the computer
1. Overview
| Name | Kachufol (Kachuful, "Judgement") |
| Type | Trick-taking game with exact prediction |
| Players | 3–8, ideally 4–6 |
| Recommended age | 10 and up |
| Playing time | a game 30–60 minutes |
| Material | 52 French cards, pen and paper |
| Goal | Take exactly as many tricks as you announced each round – and finish with the most points. |
| Difficulty | easy to medium |
What is it about? Kachufol comes from western India and is a relative of "Oh Hell". Every round has a different number of cards and a different trump suit. Before play everyone predicts exactly how many tricks they will take – zero is allowed too. Only players who are exactly right score.
2. Cards and material
- Pack: 52 French cards, ace high, 2 low.
- Trump order: Round by round spades, diamonds, clubs, hearts – then spades again.
- Score pad: for bids and points.
- Face up and face down: Hands concealed, tricks face down.
3. Preparation and start
- Agree the round sequence: for example 1, 2, 3 … up to 7 cards and back down to 1.
- Dealing: In the round with n cards, everyone gets n cards.
- Trumps: Spades in the first round, then diamonds, clubs, hearts and so on.
- Bidding: In turn, the dealer last.
- Start: The player left of the dealer leads.
Start example: Round with 3 cards, spades trumps. You hold the ace of spades, 4 of hearts and 6 of clubs. You bid 1.
4. Goal and winning
- A round: Take exactly the number of tricks you bid.
- Game: After the last round, the player with the most points wins.
5. Play in detail
Bidding.
- Everyone names a number from 0 up to the number of cards.
- Dealer rule: The dealer may not bid a number that makes the total of all bids equal the number of tricks. So never can everyone be right at once.
Tricks.
- The leader plays any card.
- Following suit is compulsory.
- A player who can't follow may trump or discard.
- The highest trump wins, otherwise the highest card of the suit led.
Example with Players 1 to 4. Round with 3 cards, spades trumps. Player 4 deals.
- Bids: Player 1 bids 1, Player 2 0, Player 3 1. Total 2. Player 4 may not bid 1 (that would make 3) – he bids 0.
- Player 1 leads the ace of spades and wins the first trick.
- After that Player 1 takes no more tricks: exactly 1 – made.
- Player 3 takes 2 tricks instead of 1: missed.
6. Scoring
| Result | Points |
|---|---|
| Exactly made | 10 + bid |
| Missed | 0 |
| Bid of 0 made | 10 |
- Variant: 10 × bid + 10 – high bids are rewarded more.
- Recording: Bid and points per player and round.
7. Special rules and situations
- Many players: The maximum number of cards is 52 divided by the number of players (rounded down).
- The dealer always has a legal bid: Only one number is forbidden.
- Revoke: Failing to follow when you could scores 0 for the round.
- Tie at the end: shared victory.
- Common mistakes: forgetting the dealer rule; bidding too boldly in the one-card round.
8. Variants
Standard in this description: 1 to 7 cards and back, trump order spades – diamonds – clubs – hearts, scoring 10 + bid.
| Variant | What changes | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Oh Hell | Trumps are set by a turned-up card. | a change |
| Up to 5 cards | Shorter game. | little time |
| All cards | Up to the highest possible number of cards. | long evenings |
When playing against the computer on cardgames.zone you play against two to five computer opponents (standard: four players); the maximum is 7 cards, 5 cards or as many as possible, scored as 10 + bid or 10 × bid + 10.
9. Tips for beginners
- Count aces and trumps: They almost always win a trick.
- Zero is strong: With only small cards, 0 is a good bid.
- Use the dealer rule: As dealer you know all the bids.
- Stop once you've made it: With your tricks in, discard high cards.
- Disturb others: A player who has enough doesn't want more tricks – force them.
- Short rounds are tricky: With one card, luck decides a lot.
- Keep count: Which trumps have gone?
10. Summary in 10 steps
- 52 cards, 3–8 players.
- The number of cards changes each round (1, 2, 3 … and back).
- Trumps rotate: spades, diamonds, clubs, hearts.
- Everyone bids their exact number of tricks (0 allowed).
- The dealer may not make the total add up.
- The player left of the dealer leads.
- Follow suit, otherwise trump or discard.
- The highest trump or highest card of the suit wins.
- Exactly made: 10 + bid; otherwise 0.
- After the last round the most points wins.
11. Frequently asked questions
May you bid 0?
Yes, and it often pays.
What may the dealer not do?
Bid a number that makes the total of all bids add up exactly.
Do I score for too many tricks?
No, only for exactly the number bid.
Must I trump?
No, a player who can't follow may also discard.
What is the maximum number of cards?
The agreed maximum, at most 52 divided by the number of players.
How long does a game take?
About 30 to 60 minutes.
Origin & history
The Indian form of the 'Oh Hell' bidding family, documented in England around 1930. The name probably combines the syllables of regional suit names (Ka – Kali/spades, Chu – Chukat/diamonds, Fu – Phuli/clubs, L – Lal/hearts), which also names the fixed order of trumps.