Belot looks easy, but the gap between a beginner and an experienced player is huge. In this article we have gathered practical tips to help you win more deals and avoid the mistakes that cost the most points.
1. Bid only when you have a good reason
Don't rush into high bids. Weigh up the strength of your cards and your partner's possibilities carefully. It is better to make a safe, measured bid than to take an unnecessary risk and end up “inside” (your team fails its contract and loses the deal's points).
A good rule of thumb when playing a trump suit: if you hold the jack and nine of the suit you want to bid, plus at least one or two more trumps or a strong ace on the side, the hand is usually good enough. Without the jack and nine – think twice.
2. Know what every card is worth
To play well, you need to know which cards carry points:
- in trumps: jack – 20, nine – 14, ace – 11, ten – 10, king – 4, queen – 3, eight and seven – 0;
- outside trumps: ace – 11, ten – 10, king – 4, queen – 3, jack – 2, nine, eight and seven – 0;
- the last trick is worth an extra 10 points.
Knowing this, you'll understand why a ten that your opponent “catches” with an ace can decide the whole deal.
3. Plan your game before the first move
Once trumps have been chosen, take a few seconds to build a strategy. Think about which of your cards are strongest, how you can support your partner and which trumps are worth saving for later in the game.
If you have bid a trump suit and hold plenty of trumps, it is often a good idea to lead with them – that way you “draw out” your opponents' trumps and can then safely collect tricks with your aces.
4. Count the trumps
Each suit has 8 cards, so there are 8 trumps in play. Keep track of how many have already been played. When you know your opponents have no trumps left, your aces and tens become sure tricks. This is the habit that most quickly marks out an experienced player.
5. Keep track of the cards played
You don't need to remember everything – start with the aces and tens. If the ace of spades has already gone, the ten of spades is the strongest card in that suit. Little by little you will start to remember more.
6. Play for the team, not just for yourself
Belot is a partnership game. If your partner is already winning the trick, don't waste a strong card – instead “smear” (throw a high-scoring card onto your partner's winning trick), such as a ten or an ace, so you take more points together. And the other way round: if an opponent is winning the trick, throw your cheapest card.
7. Avoid the most common mistakes
Many lost games are down not to bad cards but to hasty decisions:
- playing on autopilot without checking what has already been played;
- throwing a ten while the ace of the same suit is still in play;
- calling “Contra” on emotion rather than because your cards justify it;
- forgetting that the last trick is worth 10 points.
Patience and concentration often bring more points than risk. If you want to learn more, read our article on announcements in Belot – they can turn an average hand into a winning one.