Rules · Cards
Belot card ranking
The first thing that confuses newcomers is that the same card can be the strongest on the table in one deal and almost worthless in the next. The jack of trumps beats everything, while a jack in a side suit loses to the queen. The nine of trumps is the second-best card in the game; a nine without trumps is worth nothing at all.
Below is the complete card order for every contract, how many points each card is worth, which card wins the trick and when you are obliged to trump or overtrump. If you are unsure about a specific situation, try it in the comparison tool below – pick a contract, a suit and two cards and see which one wins and why.
8 min readUpdated By the Belot Arena team
Card order in a suit contract
In a suit contract (clubs, diamonds, hearts or spades) the cards follow two different orders. In the trump suit the jack and the nine are at the top; in the three other suits the ace and the ten are. Any trump, even the seven, beats any card of a side suit.
| Rank | Trump suit | Points | Side suit | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jack (J) | 20 | Ace (A) | 11 |
| 2 | Nine (9) | 14 | Ten (10) | 10 |
| 3 | Ace (A) | 11 | King (K) | 4 |
| 4 | Ten (10) | 10 | Queen (Q) | 3 |
| 5 | King (K) | 4 | Jack (J) | 2 |
| 6 | Queen (Q) | 3 | Nine (9) | 0 |
| 7 | Eight (8) | 0 | Eight (8) | 0 |
| 8 | Seven (7) | 0 | Seven (7) | 0 |
In a suit contract the strongest card in belot is the jack of trumps and the second is the nine of trumps. That is the first thing to look for when you decide whether to bid.
No trumps and All trumps
No trumps (Без коз). There is no trump suit. All four suits rank like side suits: ace, ten, king, queen, jack, nine, eight, seven. The trick is won by the highest card of the suit that was led – an ace of another suit beats nothing. When the deal is scored, the card points and the last-trick 10 are doubled; see Belot scoring.
All trumps (Всичко коз). Every suit uses the trump order: jack, nine, ace, ten, king, queen, eight, seven. But the suits do not beat each other – the trick goes to the highest card of the suit that was led. If hearts are led, the jack of spades cannot win the trick, however strong it is in its own suit.
| Contract | Order in each suit | Does one suit beat another? |
|---|---|---|
| Suit contract | Trumps: J 9 A 10 K Q 8 7 · other suits: A 10 K Q J 9 8 7 | Yes – any trump beats a side-suit card |
| No trumps | A 10 K Q J 9 8 7 | No – the led suit wins |
| All trumps | J 9 A 10 K Q 8 7 | No – the led suit wins |
Why strength and points differ
The order tells you which card takes the trick; the points tell you what a card is worth once it is among the cards you have won. The two often differ, and that is where most mistakes come from.
- In a side suit the ten is the second-strongest card – above the king and the queen. A bare ten without its ace is therefore in danger: if an opponent holds the ace, they will catch it.
- The nine of trumps is worth 14 points and ranks above the ace of trumps. A nine in a side suit is one of the weakest cards and scores nothing.
- The jack of trumps is both the strongest and the most valuable card (20 points). A jack in a side suit is below the queen and worth only 2.
- Eights and sevens never score points, but a seven of trumps still beats an ace of another suit.
The practical rule: inside trumps think “jack, nine”, outside trumps think “ace, ten”. Players who mix the two orders up lose their tens and give away tricks.
Which card wins the trick
Whoever wins the trick leads to the next one. The last, eighth trick is worth an extra 10 points – the “last ten” (последно 10).
- Look at the suit of the first card – it decides the trick.
- In a suit contract: if at least one trump has been played to the trick, the highest trump wins.
- If there is no trump (or the contract is No trumps or All trumps), the highest card of the led suit wins.
- Cards of another suit, played because the player had none of the led suit, never win – unless they are trumps in a suit contract.
When you must follow suit, trump and overtrump
Card strength goes hand in hand with the playing obligations. At the Belot Arena table only legal cards can be played and the rest are dimmed – but it pays to know the rules so you can plan your hand.
| Situation | Suit contract | No trumps | All trumps |
|---|---|---|---|
| You hold the led suit | Follow suit (a higher card is not required) | Follow suit | Follow suit and play higher if you can – whoever is winning the trick |
| Trumps were led | Follow with a trump and play higher if you can | – | – |
| You are void, your partner holds the trick | Play any card | Play any card | Play any card |
| You are void, an opponent holds the trick | Trump. If an opponent has already trumped, overtrump; with no higher trump, play any card | Play any card | Play any card |
Undertrumping – putting a lower trump under an opponent’s trump – is never compulsory. If you have no trump higher than theirs, you may discard from another suit and keep your trumps for later.
Five situations from the table
The table shows you which cards are legal – the quickest way to make the order second nature.
Play against bots1. The ace of trumps does not beat the nine
Hearts are trumps. East leads 10♠. South has no spades and trumps with 9♥. West, East’s partner, has no spades either and holds A♥ and J♥. An opponent has already trumped, so West must overtrump – and the ace cannot do it, because 9♥ is higher. West must play J♥ and wins the trick; North follows with 7♠. Had West held only A♥, there would be no obligation to play it: without a higher trump West could play any card and keep the ace.
2. An ace of another suit wins nothing
No trumps. West leads Q♣, North plays 9♣, East has no clubs and throws A♦, South plays K♣. South wins with the king: the ace of diamonds is the highest card on the table, but it is not of the led suit. East should have thrown a small card – now the ace and its points go to the opponents.
3. All trumps: climb within the suit
All trumps. North leads 10♠. East holds A♠ and 8♠ – he must play higher, so he plays A♠. South plays 9♠, which outranks the ace. West has no spades and throws J♥ – the best heart, but irrelevant here. South wins with the nine.
4. Your partner holds the trick – you are free
Spades are trumps. East leads 7♣, South plays K♣, West plays 8♣ and North has no clubs. The trick belongs to North’s partner South, so North does not have to trump and can “smear” (намазва) 10♦ – ten points for his team. North is last to play, so there is no risk. If an opponent still plays after you, only smear points when you are sure they cannot take the trick.
5. Trumps are led
Diamonds are trumps. West leads J♦. North holds 9♦ and 7♦. He has to follow with a trump and play higher if he can – but nothing beats the jack, so he may choose which trump to play. He plays 7♦ and keeps the nine for later. Playing 9♦ would have given away 14 points.
How to remember the order
- Trumps: “jack, nine, ace, ten” – the four big cards, then king, queen, eight, seven.
- No trumps and side suits: “ace, ten, king, queen, jack” – then 9, 8, 7 at the bottom.
- The ten is never the strongest card, but it is always second or fourth – look after it.
- In All trumps think of four separate trump suits that never beat each other.
For a game at home the printable cheat sheet is handy, and if you want to check how much has stuck there is a rules quiz.
Frequently asked questions
What is the strongest card in belot?
In a suit contract and in All trumps – the jack (of the trump suit, or of the led suit in All trumps). In No trumps – the ace of the led suit.
Which is stronger in trumps – the ace or the nine?
The nine. The trump order is jack, nine, ace, ten, king, queen, eight, seven.
Does a seven of trumps beat an ace of another suit?
Yes. In a suit contract any trump beats any side-suit card, whatever its value.
Do I have to undertrump if I cannot overtrump?
No. If an opponent has already trumped and you have no higher trump, you may play any card. More in the Belot rules.
How many points is the nine worth?
The nine of trumps is worth 14 points; a nine in a side suit or in No trumps is worth 0.
Read next
Belot rules
The complete rules: cards, dealing, bidding, play and end of game.
Belot scoring
Card values, last trick, capot, failed and hanging contracts.
Declarations and belot
Tierce, quarte, quinte, four of a kind and belot — when they count.
Playing a trump contract
Drawing trumps, discarding and keeping trumps for the end.
Rules quiz
20 real table situations, with explanations.