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Official Écarté Rules
Écarté is a classic two-player trick-taking card game that combines strategy and luck. Here's how to play:
Objective
To be the first player to win five points.
Setup
Components:
A deck of 32 cards (A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7 in each of the four suits: hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades)
Deal
Deck Preparation: Use only the 32 highest cards from a standard deck (no card lower than 7).
Deal: Each player is dealt 5 cards. The remaining cards form the draw pile (talon).
Before play begins, the non-dealer, or elder hand, has the option to propose discarding and redrawing cards. They can suggest any number of cards to exchange.
If the dealer accepts this proposal, both players exchange the agreed-upon number of cards. This process can be repeated multiple times until either the elder hand declines to propose further exchanges or the dealer rejects a proposal.
The elder hand is under no obligation to make any exchange at all. If no initial proposal is made, the elder hand becomes a vulnerable player, leaving the dealer with a chance of scoring an extra point. The dealer suffers the same liability and becomes vulnerable if he refuses the initial proposal made by the opponent.
After the initial proposal, the elder hand can decline to propose further and the dealer can refuse to accept at any point, without either player becoming vulnerable.
After dealing and negotiating, the top card of the draw pile is turned face up to indicate the trump suit.
Gameplay
Before play commences, either player holding the King of Trumps may claim an additional point by announcing it. This opportunity is forfeited if not declared before the first card is played.
The elder hand initiates the game by leading a card to the first trick. Subsequently, the winner of each trick leads the following one. Players must follow suit if possible.
The highest card of the suit led determines the trick winner, unless a trump card is played, in which case the highest trump card prevails. A player must win a trick if capable.
Scoring
Dealer's Bonus: The dealer earns one point if the King is dealt face-up as the eleventh card.
King of Trumps: A player holding the King of Trumps before the start of play can claim one point.
Winning Majority of Tricks: The player who wins the most tricks earns one point.
Vole: Capturing all five tricks awards an additional point to the winner.
Vulnerability: Defeating a vulnerable opponent (one who has not won a trick) yields an extra point.
A player wins the game by reaching a total of five points. Multiple games can be played consecutively to form a rubber or set, with scoring often tracked using counters or unused cards.
If a Player does not win five points in a single game, then another game should be begun. The deck should not be shuffled, and cards should be drawn immediately from the remaining deck. In the case of matchplay, the round is not yet completed, so this second game will still be the first “round” of games.
Once a game is completed and a Player scores five points, then the deck should be reshuffled and a new round begun.
Strategy
You can trick the Dealer with a fake proposal. Even if you don't actually want to discard, a clever bluff could involve offering a proposal you want the Dealer to reject. This tactic puts pressure on the Dealer, keeping your strong hand intact.
On the flip side, the Dealer might call your bluff by accepting the proposal. This would remove valuable cards from your hand and force you to rethink your strategy in future hands, making the Elder Hand more vulnerable.
Make as many proposals as you can without getting caught until you have a strong hand. The game only begins when the Dealer decides to reject the Elder Hand's offer or when the Elder Hand deems their hand strong enough to proceed.
Écarté is a game that requires a balance of skill and luck. It's a great choice for players who enjoy strategic card games.
