Strategy · Position
The first-hand seat in Belot (“под ръка”)
“Под ръка” – literally “under the hand” – is the player to the right of the dealer. Bulgarian Belot goes counter-clockwise, so this player speaks first in the bidding and leads the first card of the deal. The seat moves one place to the right every deal, so each player has it once every four deals.
The seat is neither good nor bad in itself. It gives you two things – the first word and the first card – and takes one away: in the bidding you know the least. This page is about using the first two and not paying too much for the third.
6 min readUpdated By the Belot Arena team
What first hand means
The dealer deals 3 and then 2 cards to everyone, starting with the player on their right. That same player opens the bidding and, once the last 3 cards are dealt, plays the first card – no matter who won the bidding.
Opposite is the dealer, who speaks last. The dealer has heard all three other players before deciding, which is why the dealer is said to have “the last word”. First hand is the reverse: the first word, but blind.
| Seat | Bidding | What they know when they speak |
|---|---|---|
| First hand | First | Only their own 5 cards |
| Dealer’s partner | Second | Own cards + 1 call |
| First hand’s partner | Third | Own cards + 2 calls, including partner’s |
| Dealer | Last | Own cards + 3 calls |
Bidding first with five cards
From first hand you bid knowing nothing about the other three hands, and you see only 5 of your own 8 cards – three are still to come. So a bid from this seat should rest on what you already hold, not on what you hope to be dealt.
The good news: bid first and you set the tone. Your partner hears your call before saying anything and can support it, go higher or stay quiet. The opponents have to outbid a real call if they want the contract, and that costs them risk.
The bad news: the opponents speak after you and can double with far better information. Bid hearts with your two weakest trumps while the next player holds the jack and nine, and the contra is almost certain. When doubling is dangerous is covered in contra and recontra.
Passing from first hand is not weakness. You hand the word to your partner, who speaks third and knows more. Many deals are won by the side whose first player was patient.
When bidding first is worth it
- You hold the jack and nine of one suit plus another trump or an outside ace – the bid stands on its own.
- You hold three aces, or ace-ten in two suits – No trumps (Без коз) is a real option, and leading first gives you tempo.
- You hold two jacks and at least one nine with them – All trumps (Всичко коз) deserves to be heard.
When it is better to pass
- Your strength is scattered: one high card in every suit but nothing long.
- You only hold “helping” cards – an ace and ten in a suit you would not choose as trumps. They will be useful in partner’s contract.
- You hold a long but weak suit (7, 8, queen) without the jack and nine. If someone bids that suit after you, your cards will still help.
Five first-hand hands and how we would bid them
These are guidelines, not laws – the score and your partner’s style matter too. Each hand is the first five cards you bid with.
| Hand | Call | Why |
|---|---|---|
| J♥ 9♥ A♥ A♠ 10♣ | Hearts | Three of the four best trumps plus an outside ace. Very hard to fail. |
| J♠ 9♣ A♦ 10♦ K♥ | Pass | A bit of everything. No trump suit, and one jack is too little for All trumps. |
| A♠ 10♠ A♥ 10♥ A♣ | No trumps | Three aces and two guarded tens. You lead first and cash the aces before the opponents set up a suit. |
| J♣ J♦ 9♣ A♥ 10♠ | All trumps | Two jacks, a nine with one of them and an ace – strength that does not depend on the trump suit. |
| 9♦ 8♦ 7♦ Q♠ K♠ | Pass | Diamonds without the jack are no trump suit. The king and queen of spades become belot if someone bids spades or All trumps – let it come. |
What to lead to the first trick
The first card of the deal is always yours. It is only an advantage if you know what you want. The most useful question is: whose contract is it – ours or theirs?
| Contract | Ours | Theirs |
|---|---|---|
| Suit trumps | The jack of trumps if you have it – start drawing trumps. | A safe outside ace. Avoid leading trumps and never lead a lone ten. |
| No trumps | An ace from your longest suit, or your aces in turn if they are guarded. | Your longest suit, to set it up while the declarer is busy. |
| All trumps | The jacks you hold – each is master of its suit. | A suit where partner may hold the jack; don’t give up your nine cheaply. |
Declarations are announced with your first card, so you announce yours first. A tierce or quarte from first hand tells both partner and opponents a lot about your hand. That is no reason to hide them (points are points), but expect the opponents to play against the suit you have shown. See Belot declarations.
First hand against the dealer
The dealer speaks last and sees the whole auction, so the dealer doubles more accurately than anyone and rarely bids a contract they cannot make. From first hand, assume that after your call the best-informed player at the table has not spoken yet.
Two things follow. First, do not stretch your bids when the score is close to 151 – a contra from the last word can end the game. Second, when your bid passes without a contra, the dealer most likely has little against it – useful information for the play.
You are first hand every fourth deal. Play a few games against the bots and watch how your bidding from this seat changes.
Play against botsCommon first-hand mistakes
- Bidding “just in case” with weak trumps – the first word is not an obligation to speak.
- No trumps with an unguarded ace: it wins once, and then your ten is left bare.
- Leading trumps against the opponents’ suit contract for no reason – you help them draw trumps.
- Forgetting that three players speak after you: a strong call here is often outbid, so think about how you will help as a defender too.
- Underrating partner’s pass: if partner passed third after your suit bid, most of the strength is in your hand.
Frequently asked questions
Who is “под ръка” in Belot?
The player to the right of the dealer. They bid first and lead first. The seat moves every deal.
Is first hand an advantage?
Partly. The first card is an advantage, especially in No trumps, but in the bidding you speak first and know least. Good players bid from this seat only with solid hands.
Must first hand always bid something?
No. “Pass” is a perfectly normal call and often the best one – it lets your partner speak with more information.
Who leads if the opponents won the bidding?
Still the first-hand player. The opening lead does not depend on who won the contract.
Read next
Bidding
Contract order and when to bid a suit, No trumps or All trumps.
Contra and recontra
Who can double, how points are multiplied and when it pays off.
Playing a trump contract
Drawing trumps, discarding and keeping trumps for the end.
No trumps strategy
When to bid No trumps, running a long suit and defending.
All trumps strategy
Jacks, nines and counting – how All trumps is won.
The last trick
Why the last trick decides so many deals and how to win it.