Overview
Twenty-Nine (29) is a premier partnership trick-taking game originating from South Asia and related to the European Jass family. Played by four players in two fixed partnerships (North/South vs. East/West), the game is distinguished by its unique card point values, an intense auction fought on only half a hand, and a hidden trump card that alters play the moment it is revealed.
Objective
Win point-scoring cards in tricks with your partner to fulfill or defeat the contract set in the bidding phase. The overarching goal is to be the first partnership to reach +6 game points.
Setup
Twenty-Nine uses a shortened 32-card deck consisting of ranks 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace across all four suits (cards 2 through 6 are removed).
- Initial Deal: Each player is dealt 4 cards face down.
- The Auction: Players bid based solely on these 4 cards.
- Hidden Trump: The highest bidder secretly selects a trump card from their hand and places it face down beneath their seat without revealing its suit.
- Second Deal: The dealer distributes the remaining 4 cards to each player, bringing everyone's hand to 8 cards.
How to Play
The Bidding
Starting with the player to the dealer's left, players bid for the right to establish the contract and choose the trump suit:
- Bids range from 16 to 28 points.
- A bidder can increase the bid or pass. Once a player passes, they cannot re-enter the auction.
- The highest bidder becomes the declarer and chooses the secret trump suit before the final 4 cards are dealt.
Trick Play & Revealing Trump
- The player to the dealer's left leads the first trick.
- Players must follow the led suit if able.
- If a player is void in the led suit, they may either play an off-suit discard or request to reveal the hidden trump card.
- Once the declarer turns the hidden trump card face up, trump becomes active for that trick and all subsequent tricks.
- Trump cards played after the reveal can beat non-trump cards. If no trump is active or played, the highest card of the led suit wins.
- The trick winner leads the subsequent trick.
Important Rules & Card Point Values
In Twenty-Nine, not all cards carry point values. The total number of points available in card values is 28, plus 1 bonus point awarded to the winner of the 8th (final) trick, summing to the namesake 29 points:
| Card Rank | Trick Rank Power | Point Value |
|---|---|---|
| Jack | Highest | 3 points |
| 9 | Second | 2 points |
| Ace | Third | 1 point |
| 10 | Fourth | 1 point |
| King | Fifth | 0 points |
| Queen | Sixth | 0 points |
| 8 | Seventh | 0 points |
| 7 | Lowest | 0 points |
Pair (Marriage / Royalty)
If a player holds both the King and Queen of the trump suit, they can declare a "Pair" (Marriage) after trump has been revealed:
- If held by the declaring team, their target is reduced by 4 points (making the contract easier to fulfill).
- If held by the defending team, the declarer's target is increased by 4 points.
Scoring and Winning
At the end of the round (8 tricks), the declarer's partnership totals all card points won plus the final trick bonus:
| Round Result | Declaring Team | Defending Team |
|---|---|---|
| Contract made (target reached) | +1 game point | 0 game points |
| Contract failed (target missed) | -1 game point | +1 game point (in standard scoring) |
The match is tracked on a game-point scale from -6 to +6. A partnership wins the match as soon as it reaches +6 game points, or if the opposing partnership drops to -6 game points.
Strategy
- Timing the Trump Reveal: If you are defending and hold a strong trump card while void in a led suit, demanding the reveal allows you to capture valuable Jacks and 9s with your trump.
- Protect the 8th Trick: The single point for winning the final trick frequently determines whether a tight 16-point contract succeeds or fails.
- Compare Twenty-Nine with other trick-taking games like Call Break, Tarneeb, Spades, and Truco Paulista.
Variations
Cardems features standard four-player partnership Twenty-Nine with a 32-card pack, 16–28 bidding on 4-card hands, hidden trump card reveal mechanics, marriage pair adjustments, and a 6-point match progression.
FAQ
Why is the game called Twenty-Nine?
The 4 Jacks (3 pts each = 12), 4 Nines (2 pts each = 8), 4 Aces (1 pt each = 4), and 4 Tens (1 pt each = 4) sum to 28 card points. Winning the last trick adds 1 bonus point, bringing the total round points to exactly 29.
Can a player lead trump immediately?
A player cannot lead a card of the trump suit until the hidden trump card has been officially revealed, unless they hold only trump cards in hand.
When can a Pair (Royalty) be declared?
A Pair (King and Queen of trump) can be declared only after the trump suit has been revealed and the player (or their partner) has won a trick or is actively leading.
What is the lowest bid in Twenty-Nine?
Bidding starts at 16 and runs up to 28. Each new bid must be strictly higher than the last, and any player may pass instead of raising.
How much does a Pair change the contract?
A King and Queen of trump in the same hand move the target by four points: four lower when the declaring team holds them, four higher when the defenders do. The adjusted target never leaves the 16–28 range.
Does a trump card played before the reveal win the trick?
No. When the trump is revealed in the middle of a trick, only trump cards played after that reveal count as trump. A card of the same suit played earlier in that trick is treated as an ordinary discard.
