How to Play Baloot – Rules, Dealing, Bidding, Sun and Hokum
How do you play Baloot? Baloot is a four-player partnership card game that is especially popular in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the Gulf region. The basic setup is simple: four players form two teams, a 32-card deck is used, and partners sit opposite each other.
Learning the basic rules of the Baloot game does not take long, but becoming a skilled player requires practice. Bidding, card ranking, Sun and Hokum, partnership strategy, Projects and scoring all influence the outcome of a match.
This guide explains how to play Baloot step by step, from dealing and bidding to winning tricks and calculating points.
If you are interested in the history and competitive development of the game, visit our Baloot Championship homepage.
What Is Baloot?
Baloot is a trick-taking partnership card game played by four people. Two players form one team and the other two form the opposing team.
Partners sit opposite each other at the table. This means that successful Baloot is not simply about playing the strongest cards. Players also need to cooperate with their partner and pay attention to the decisions made by both opponents.
Baloot is closely related to the French card game Belote. However, the game has developed its own terminology, scoring conventions and playing traditions in the Arabian Peninsula, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
How Many Players Do You Need for Baloot?
A standard Baloot game requires exactly four players.
- Two players form Team 1.
- Two players form Team 2.
- Partners sit opposite each other.
Play normally proceeds counter-clockwise.
Because Baloot is a partnership game, the performance of both players contributes to the team’s result.
What Cards Are Used in Baloot?
Baloot uses a 32-card deck.
A standard 52-card deck can be used after removing all cards from 2 through 6. This leaves eight cards in each of the four suits:
7 – 8 – 9 – 10 – J – Q – K – A
Each player eventually receives eight cards, accounting for all 32 cards in the deck.
Baloot Seating and Direction of Play
The four players sit around the table with partners facing each other.
The first dealer can be selected according to the rules agreed by the players or the tournament organizer. The dealing position subsequently moves around the table.
Cards are dealt counter-clockwise, and play also proceeds in that direction.
Baloot Dealing
The dealer shuffles the cards before the deal begins. The deck may then be cut according to the rules being used.
Players initially receive five cards each. A card is then exposed as part of the bidding process.
After bidding has been completed, the remaining cards are distributed so that every player finishes with eight cards.
With four players holding eight cards each, all 32 cards are in play.
What Is Bidding in Baloot?
Bidding takes place before the main play of the hand and determines the contract under which the cards will be played.
The player to the right of the dealer is normally the first to act, with bidding proceeding counter-clockwise.
Two of the most important choices in Baloot are:
- Sun – play without a trump suit.
- Hokum – play with a trump suit.
A player can also pass rather than accepting a contract at that stage.
If the first bidding round ends without the exposed card being accepted, another bidding stage can follow according to the applicable rules.
If no contract is established, the cards can be redealt.
What Is Sun in Baloot?
Sun is the no-trump form of Baloot. No suit is designated as a trump suit.
In Sun, the cards rank from highest to lowest as follows:
A – 10 – K – Q – J – 9 – 8 – 7
The Ace is therefore the highest-ranking card, followed by the 10.
What Is Hokum in Baloot?
Hokum is the trump form of Baloot. One suit is designated as the trump suit for that deal.
The ranking of cards in the trump suit changes significantly.
From highest to lowest, the Hokum trump cards rank:
J – 9 – A – 10 – K – Q – 8 – 7
The Jack therefore becomes the strongest trump card, followed by the 9.
This is one of the most important differences between Sun and Hokum and one of the first concepts new Baloot players should learn.
Sun vs Hokum – Card Ranking
The easiest way to remember the basic difference is:
| Game Type | Card Ranking – Highest to Lowest |
|---|---|
| Sun | A – 10 – K – Q – J – 9 – 8 – 7 |
| Hokum – Trump Suit | J – 9 – A – 10 – K – Q – 8 – 7 |
Cards outside the trump suit in a Hokum game do not use the special trump ranking.
How Does a Baloot Trick Work?
Once bidding and dealing are complete, the playing phase begins.
The player to the right of the dealer normally leads the first trick. Each of the other players then plays one card.
Four cards therefore make up one trick.
Players generally have to follow the suit that was led when they are able to do so. Hokum introduces additional considerations because one suit has been designated as trump.
The player who wins the trick leads the next one.
How Many Tricks Are Played in Baloot?
There are eight tricks in a complete deal.
This follows directly from the deck structure: each of the four players has eight cards and plays one card in each trick.
After the eighth trick, all 32 cards have been played and the result of the deal can be calculated.
Following Suit in Baloot
Following suit is a fundamental part of Baloot.
When a player leads a particular suit, the other players normally have to play a card of that suit if they hold one.
If a player does not have a card of the required suit, the available options depend on whether the game is Sun or Hokum and on the circumstances of the trick.
Trump obligations in Hokum can make this part of the game more complicated than it initially appears.
Trump Cards in Hokum
In a Hokum game, the designated trump suit can defeat cards belonging to the other suits.
Players therefore need to keep track of which trump cards have already been played.
The unusual ranking of the trump cards is particularly important:
J – 9 – A – 10 – K – Q – 8 – 7
A new player accustomed to ordinary card rankings can easily underestimate the Jack or 9. In Hokum, however, these can be the two most powerful cards in the deal when they belong to the trump suit.
Overtrumping in Baloot
Hokum can include situations where a player who cannot follow the original suit has to consider the trump cards already played in the trick.
If an opponent has played a trump card, the player may be required to play a higher trump when able to do so. This is commonly described as overtrumping.
If the player cannot beat the existing trump, the applicable rules determine what card can or must be played.
There can also be different considerations when the player’s own partner is already winning the trick.
Because these obligations can depend on the precise tournament or ruleset being used, players entering an organized competition should always check the official rules for that event.
How Do You Score Points in Baloot?
Winning Baloot is not simply a matter of collecting the largest number of cards.
Different cards have different point values, and the values can also depend on whether the game is being played as Sun or Hokum.
This means that winning a trick containing valuable cards can be much more important than winning a trick containing cards worth few or no points.
The points collected from tricks are calculated at the end of the deal together with other applicable scoring elements.
Card Values in Sun
In Sun, the basic card-point values are:
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| A | 11 |
| 10 | 10 |
| K | 4 |
| Q | 3 |
| J | 2 |
| 9 | 0 |
| 8 | 0 |
| 7 | 0 |
This helps explain why simply counting the number of tricks or cards won does not tell you who has scored the most points.
Card Values in Hokum
In the Hokum trump suit, the values change:
| Trump Card | Points |
|---|---|
| J | 20 |
| 9 | 14 |
| A | 11 |
| 10 | 10 |
| K | 4 |
| Q | 3 |
| 8 | 0 |
| 7 | 0 |
The Jack and 9 are therefore valuable not only because of their high rank in Hokum but also because of the number of points they carry.
What Are Projects in Baloot?
Projects are recognized card combinations that can provide additional points under Baloot rules.
They can include sequences of cards from the same suit and qualifying combinations of cards with the same rank.
Another well-known combination is Baloot itself, involving the King and Queen of the trump suit in a Hokum game.
Projects add another strategic dimension because a player may have to consider both the value of individual tricks and the additional value of particular card combinations.
What Is Ashkal?
Ashkal is a special term used during Baloot bidding and is associated with a particular no-trump bidding situation.
It is a more advanced part of the bidding system and can be subject to the specific rules used by a tournament or group of players.
Beginners should first become comfortable with the basic distinction between Sun, Hokum and Pass before moving on to the more detailed bidding options.
How Do You Win a Baloot Game?
A standard Baloot match is generally played toward a target of 152 game points.
Teams accumulate their scores across successive deals until the required match score is reached according to the rules being used.
Winning therefore requires more than one lucky deal. Successful teams need to make good decisions consistently over a series of hands.
Is Baloot a Game of Luck or Skill?
Both elements play a role.
Players cannot control which cards they are dealt, so chance is naturally part of Baloot. But what happens after the cards are dealt depends heavily on player decisions.
A skilled player needs to consider:
- the strength of the cards in hand;
- whether to bid or pass;
- whether Sun or Hokum is more suitable;
- which cards have already been played;
- which suits other players may no longer hold;
- what the partner’s previous plays may indicate;
- which high-value cards may still remain in play.
Memory, experience and partnership can therefore make a substantial difference over the course of a match.
Baloot Strategy for Beginners
New players should concentrate on learning the basic structure before attempting advanced strategies.
First, memorize the different card rankings for Sun and Hokum. Confusing these two rankings can quickly lead to mistakes.
Second, watch every card that is played. Knowing which important cards have already left the players’ hands can help you make better decisions later in the deal.
Third, remember that Baloot is a partnership game. A decision that looks good for your own hand may not always be the best decision for your team.
Finally, do not judge a deal simply by the number of tricks won. The point value of the cards inside those tricks matters.
Is Baloot the Same as Belote?
No, although the two games are closely related.
Baloot shares important characteristics with the French card game Belote, and the similarity between the names is also notable.
However, Baloot has developed its own terminology, bidding conventions, scoring practices and playing culture in the Arabian Peninsula.
It is therefore more accurate to describe Baloot and Belote as closely related games rather than treating them as completely identical.
Is Baloot Like Poker?
Baloot and poker are very different card games.
Baloot is a partnership trick-taking game in which two teams compete for points. Poker uses hand combinations and a fundamentally different betting and game structure.
Sun, Hokum, Projects and the partnership system are central features of Baloot and are not part of standard poker.
Readers interested in the distinction can also read our guide to Arab Poker.
Can You Play Baloot Without Gambling?
Yes. Baloot itself does not require gambling or wagering money.
Four people can play the game socially using a deck of cards without placing financial bets.
Baloot can also be played competitively in an organized tournament. A tournament may offer prizes while the underlying game remains a partnership card competition.
Baloot Championship Rules
Casual groups may have small variations in how they interpret particular situations. Organized Baloot tournaments therefore establish rules that apply equally to all competitors.
These can cover dealing, bidding, scoring, Projects, player conduct, disputed plays and the format used to determine which team advances.
Players taking part in a formal tournament should always follow the official rules of that competition rather than assuming that every rule used in a private game applies automatically.
Baloot Championship in Saudi Arabia
The development of large tournaments demonstrated how a traditional social card game could become an organized competitive event.
One of the landmark competitions was held in Riyadh in 2018. More than 85,000 people registered their interest, with 12,288 players selected to participate.
The tournament involved hundreds of playing tables and more than 400 referees.
The four leading positions shared SAR 1 million in prize money, with SAR 500,000 awarded for first place.
For more information about these events and the development of competitive Baloot, visit our Baloot Championship homepage.
Common Baloot Terms
Beginners will frequently encounter several terms:
- Sun: play without a trump suit.
- Hokum: play with a designated trump suit.
- Pass: declining to take the available bidding option.
- Ashkal: a special bidding option associated with a no-trump situation.
- Projects: qualifying card combinations that can contribute additional points.
- Trick: one sequence in which each of the four players plays one card.
- Trump: the designated suit with special power in a Hokum game.
Frequently Asked Questions About Playing Baloot
How many people play Baloot?
Four people play Baloot. They are divided into two teams, with partners sitting opposite each other.
How many cards are used in Baloot?
Baloot uses 32 cards: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8 and 7 from each of the four suits.
How many cards does each Baloot player receive?
Each player eventually receives eight cards.
How many tricks are there in a Baloot deal?
There are eight tricks because each of the four players begins the playing phase with eight cards.
What is Sun in Baloot?
Sun is the no-trump form of the game. The card ranking is A-10-K-Q-J-9-8-7.
What is Hokum?
Hokum is played with a designated trump suit. Within that suit, the ranking is J-9-A-10-K-Q-8-7.
What is the strongest card in Sun?
The Ace is the highest-ranking card in Sun.
What is the strongest card in Hokum?
The Jack is the highest-ranking card of the trump suit in Hokum, followed by the 9.
How many points are needed to win Baloot?
A standard Baloot match is generally played toward a target of 152 game points.
Is Baloot the same as poker?
No. Baloot is a partnership trick-taking game, while poker uses different rules, hand combinations and betting structures.
Do you have to gamble to play Baloot?
No. Baloot can be played socially or competitively without players wagering money.
Learn How to Play Baloot
Learning how to play Baloot begins with understanding a few fundamental concepts: four players form two teams, 32 cards are used, every player receives eight cards, and each deal consists of eight tricks.
The next step is learning the difference between Sun and Hokum. From there, players can develop their understanding of bidding, following suit, trump play, card values, Projects and scoring.
The rules may initially appear complicated, but their structure becomes much clearer after playing several deals. The greater challenge is learning to read the game, remember the cards already played and cooperate effectively with a partner.
For additional information about the game, its Saudi traditions and major competitions, continue with our Baloot guide or visit Baloot Championship.
Baloot Scoring
To score the points for the game, the team of the player who accepted the bidding card must score more than the other team. In Sunn they should score more than 65 points or more, otherwise the other team gets 26 points in the score. In case of Hokom the team who called the bidding card should score more than 81 points or more otherwise the other team will get 16 points in the score.
