Baloot is a 4-player partnership card game from Saudi Arabia played with 32 cards (7 to Ace). Teams bid between Hokom (a trump suit) and Sun (no trump), capture card points over eight tricks plus projects bonuses, and convert them to game points. The first team to 152 game points wins.
Play now — it's freeOnly 32 cards are used: ranks 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace in all four suits — cards 2–6 are removed. Each of the four players (two partnerships) is dealt 8 cards.
Players bid in turn: Hokom names a trump suit (only the first Hokom bid stands), Sun declares no-trump and immediately wins the auction over any Hokom, and pass declines. If everyone passes, the deal is redealt.
In Sun the Ace is boss (11), followed by 10 (10), King (4), Queen (3), Jack (2); 9–7 score zero. The full deck totals 130 points.
In Hokom the trump Jack is the highest card in the game (20), then the trump 9 (14), then Ace, 10, King, Queen. Trump beats everything. The deck totals 162 points including the 10 for the last trick. Side suits rank like Sun.
| Card | Sun | Hokom trump | Hokom side |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ace | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| King | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Queen | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Jack | 2 | 20 | 2 |
| 9 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| 8 / 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
You must follow suit if you can; otherwise play anything. The strongest card of the led suit wins the trick unless trumped. The winner leads next. Taking the last trick adds 10 points.
Before play, hands are checked for projects: Sira (three consecutive cards of one suit) = 20, Khamsin (four consecutive) = 50, Mia (four of a kind among A, 10, K, Q, J) = 100, Arba-Mia (four 9s) = 400. Only the single highest project on the table scores; ties go to the first declarer. Holding the trump King and Queen together (baloot) adds 20 in Hokom.
Card points + 10 for the last trick + project + baloot are rounded to the nearest 10 and converted: in Hokom divide by 10; in Sun divide by 10 and double.
The declarer's team must outscore the opponents — at least 66 in Sun (out of 130; 65:65 redeals) and more than 81 with a strict majority in Hokom. If the declarer loses, defenders score a minimum of 16 (Hokom) or 26 (Sun). Taking all eight tricks (kaboot) instantly scores 25 in Hokom or 44 in Sun, doubled if the opponents doubled.
The first team to 152 game points wins the match.
32 cards — ranks 7 through Ace in all four suits; cards 2–6 are removed from the deck.
Four players in two fixed partnerships, partners sitting opposite each other.
Hokom declares a trump suit whose Jack (20) and 9 (14) dominate; Sun is a no-trump deal where the Ace is boss and converted scores are doubled.
Kaboot — capturing all eight tricks — scores 25 in Hokom and 44 in Sun.
With at least 66 card points out of 130; a 65:65 tie redeals the hand.
By taking strictly more card points than the defenders and more than 81; an 81:81 tie counts as a loss.
Holding the trump King and Queen together in Hokom — worth 20 bonus points.
Yes — you can play Baloot online free at baloot.yeeqia.com directly in your browser, no download or sign-up required to try a table.