Kleurenwiezen – Rules

Play Kleurenwiezen against the computer

1. Overview

What is it about? Kleurenwiezen is Flanders' most popular card game. It belongs to the whist family: before each deal players bid how many tricks they'll take – alone or with a partner. Partners change from deal to deal. Besides trump contracts there's “miserie”, in which you must not take a single trick.

2. Cards and material

• Pack: 52 French cards without jokers.
• Ranking (high → low): A, K, Q, J, 10 … 2.
• Trumps: Normally the suit of the last card dealt; in abondance the player chooses.
• No card points: Only tricks count.
• Face up and face down: Hands concealed, trump card face up until the first trick, tricks face down.

3. Preparation and start

1. Deal: Everyone gets 13 cards (4-4-5); the dealer's last card is shown and sets trumps.
2. Bidding: In turn from the dealer's left, each bids a contract or passes. A higher contract beats a lower one.
3. Troel: A player with three aces must bid troel; whoever holds the fourth ace becomes their partner.
4. All pass: Redeal.
5. Start: The player left of the dealer leads (in abondance and miserie often the declarer).

Start example: Diamonds are trumps. Player 1 holds five diamonds and says “vragen” (ask). Player 4 says “meegaan” (join) – they're partners and need 8 tricks together.

4. Goal and winning

• Game: After an agreed number of deals the highest score wins.

5. Play in detail

A trick.

1. The leader plays any card.
2. Follow suit if possible.
3. A player who can't follow may trump or discard – trumping is not compulsory.
4. The highest trump wins, otherwise the highest card of the suit led.

Contracts.

• Vragen: “I'm looking for a partner.” Another player may accept with “meegaan”.
• Alleen: If nobody joins after a vragen, the asker may play alone for 5 tricks.
• Abondance: 9 tricks alone, free choice of trumps.
• Miserie: No trick, no trumps.
• Solo slim: All 13 tricks alone.

Example with Players 1 to 4. Players 1 and 4 play vragen/meegaan with diamonds as trumps. Order: Player 2, 3, 4, 1.

1. Player 2 leads the ace of spades. Player 3 follows with the 3 of spades, Player 4 with the king of spades.
2. Player 1 has no spades. He may trump but doesn't have to – he trumps with the 2 of diamonds.
3. Trick to Player 1 – a trick for his side.
4. At the end Players 1 and 4 have 9 tricks together: target 8 reached, one overtrick.

6. Scoring

• Solo contracts: Each of the three opponents pays the value to the declarer (or receives it if the declarer loses).
• Partner contracts: Each partner receives the value from one opponent.
• Overtricks (variant): +1 per overtrick.
• Recording: One column per player; all columns always add up to 0.

7. Special rules and situations

• Troel duty: Three aces must be declared; with four aces you play “troela” with the holder of the highest heart (variant).
• Miserie: Several players may play miserie at the same time.
• Abondance: The declarer chooses trumps and usually leads.
• Revoke: Failing to follow suit when you could loses the deal for your side.
• Common mistakes: bidding too high; keeping high cards too long in miserie; forgetting that trumping is optional.

8. Variants

Standard in this description: vragen/meegaan, alleen, troel, abondance, miserie, solo slim.

When playing against the computer on cardgames.zone you play 4, 8 or 12 deals with vragen/meegaan, alleen, troel, abondance, miserie and solo slim.

9. Tips for beginners

1. Count trumps: Four or more trumps are good for vragen.
2. Aces are tricks: Every ace is almost a sure trick.
3. Miserie only with low cards: A single high card can ruin it.
4. Join wisely: Only join if you can contribute three tricks yourself.
5. Trumping is optional: Sometimes discarding is better.
6. Watch partnerships: They change every deal – remember who plays with whom.
7. Against miserie: Lead low cards the declarer has to overtake.

10. Summary in 10 steps

1. 52 cards, four players, 13 cards each.
2. The dealer's last card sets trumps.
3. Contracts: vragen, meegaan, alleen, troel, abondance, miserie, solo slim.
4. Three aces: troel is compulsory.
5. Left of the dealer leads.
6. Follow suit; trumping optional.
7. Partners need 8 tricks, alleen 5, abondance 9.
8. Miserie: no trick; solo slim: all tricks.
9. Opponents pay or receive the value.
10. Highest score after the agreed deals wins.

11. Frequently asked questions

What do vragen and meegaan mean?

“Ask” and “join”: one player looks for a partner, another accepts. Together they need 8 tricks.

Must I trump?

No. A player who can't follow may trump or discard.

What is troel?

A player with three aces must declare troel. The holder of the fourth ace is their partner.

What is miserie?

A no-trump contract in which you must not take any trick.

Why do all scores add up to 0?

What one player wins, the others lose.

How long does a game take?

About 45 to 90 minutes.

Origin & history

Kleurenwiezen is a Belgian development of English whist with elements of the 19th-century game Boston. Instead of fixed partners, the teams form anew each round through bids. It is one of the most popular card games in Flanders.