How Hukum works

Four players, partners sitting opposite. Play runs anti-clockwise — the turn always passes to the player on your right.

Choosing the dealer

• The deck is spread face down and each player draws one card.
• Highest card deals. If the highest is tied, only the tied players draw again.
• The player on the dealer's right receives cards first and leads the first trick.

The deal

• Five cards each, then four, then four — thirteen apiece.
• From that first five the starting player sets one card aside face down without looking. That card is the hukum; its suit is trump. Nobody sees it.

Playing a trick

• Follow the led suit if you can. No exceptions.
• The first player who cannot follow calls for the hukum. It is turned over for everyone to see, then goes into its owner's hand — it does not stay on the table.
• The player who called for it must play a trump if they hold one.
• If the owner is the one who called for it, they must play that exact card on that turn.
• Highest trump takes the trick; with no trump, highest card of the led suit. Trump only outranks other suits once turned over.
• The winner leads next.

Winning

• Every hand runs all thirteen tricks. Nothing is decided early.
• Only the four tens score. Whichever side holds more of them at the end takes the hand.
• All four tens to one side is BAGA — an outright beating for the other pair.
• All four tens and all thirteen tricks is 1000 BAGA, the legendary win.
• Two tens each: the side with more tricks wins.

Match points

• Hand win (more tens, or tricks if tied): 10 points
• BAGA: 100 points
• 1000 BAGA: 500 points
• Scores carry across hands at the same table. Leaving resets them.