Last Updated on July 26, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Le Neuf, also known as Nines, is a shedding-type card game where players aim to empty their hand by playing cards of equal or higher value than the previous card played. This page provides a clear breakdown of the rules, guiding you through the card playing, strategic discarding, and the escalating card values that define this game. With its simple mechanics and fast-paced gameplay, Le Neuf offers an engaging experience for players of all ages. Get ready to play your cards, strategically discard, and be the first to empty your hand.

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How to Play Le Neuf (Nines)

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Players and Cards

• Number of Players: Usually 3
• Deck: Standard 52-card deck (no jokers)
• Card Ranking: A (high), K, Q, J, 10 through 2 (low)
• Deal Direction: Clockwise

Each player is dealt 13 cards, and an extra 13-card hand is dealt facedown as the “unemployed” or spare hand—hence the nickname Chômeur.

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Trump Rotation

Trump suits rotate in a fixed order across deals. The standard sequence is:

Hearts → Diamonds → Clubs → Spades → No Trump, then repeating.

Other regional variations use different sequences (see “Variations” below).

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Dealing the Cards

1. The dealer shuffles, and the player to their right cuts the deck.
2. The dealer deals four hands of 13 cards each—one per player and one spare hand, face down.
3. Players pick up their hands; the spare hand remains face down in the center.

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Card Exchange Phase

The player to the dealer’s left decides first whether to exchange their entire hand with the face-down spare hand. If they pass, the option moves clockwise around the table.

• If a player chooses to exchange, they place their original hand face down in the center in place of the spare hand.
• Later players may choose to exchange with either the original spare or with a previously discarded hand.
• Once all three players have had a chance to exchange, the unclaimed hand is removed from play and cannot be looked at until the round ends.

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Gameplay

• The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick.
• Players must follow suit if possible; otherwise, they may play any card.
• The highest trump wins the trick, or if no trumps are played, the highest card of the suit led.
• Trick winners lead the next round.

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Scoring

All players begin the game with 9 points, and each has a quota of 4 tricks to meet per hand.

• Win more than 4 tricks? Subtract 1 point for each extra trick.
• Win fewer than 4 tricks? Add 1 point for each trick under.
• Win exactly 4 tricks? Score remains unchanged.

The goal is to reach 0 or fewer points. If multiple players hit 0 or below on the same hand, the one with the lowest score wins. If two or more tie at the same score, they are considered joint winners.

Scoring Sheet:
Players’ names are written across the top with a starting score of 9 each. Below, rows show:

• The trump suit for each round
• The current cumulative scores of each player
• The total score (which decreases by 1 per round, since only 12 tricks count toward quotas out of 13)

The game typically ends in 25 deals or fewer—once the total score drops to 2, at least one player must be at 0 or lower.

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Variations

Trump Order

Trump suit rotation can vary by region. Common sequences include:

• Spades → Hearts → Diamonds → Clubs → No Trump
• Hearts → Clubs → Diamonds → Spades → No Trump
• Any agreed-upon cycle

Players should agree on a trump sequence before play begins.

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Who Exchanges First?

In some regions, the dealer has the first chance to exchange cards, followed by other players clockwise.

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Tiebreaker Rule (House Rule)

To avoid tied victories, a house rule may allow players to instantly win during play if their extra tricks push their score to 0 or below before the hand finishes. Example:
If player A has 3 points and player B has 1, and B wins a 5th trick, they immediately win.

This is an optional rule, not commonly used in traditional Canadian play.

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4-Player Team Variant (Newfoundland)

In Newfoundland, Nines is often played with 4 players in 2 teams of 2 (partners sit opposite).

• No spare hand; all cards are dealt.
• Teams have a shared quota of 6 tricks.
• Start at 9 points per team.
• Points are subtracted or added based on how far above or below the 6-trick quota the team performs.
• The first team to reach 0 or less wins.
• Maximum length: 17 deals (18 total starting points minus 1 per deal).

This version resembles Whist with the addition of score tracking.

Le Neuf is a relatively simple yet engaging card game that focuses on trick-taking and precise calculations.