Is Court Piece hard to learn?

The rules are simpler than Callbreak — no bidding, no forced captures of tricks. The skill is the trump call and partner coordination, which come with play.

How do I choose the trump suit?

From your five cards, pick your longest suit; break ties toward the one with higher honours. Three small hearts is usually a better call than a lone ace of clubs.

Where can I play Court Piece online free?

TimeWellLost lets you play Court Piece free in the browser with an AI partner and opponents — the built-in tutorial walks your first round.

Learn Court Piece (Hokm / Rang): A Beginner's Guide

Court Piece — called Hokm in Iran and the Gulf, Rang or Rung in Pakistan and North India — is a partnership trick-taking game for four players in two teams. Partners sit opposite each other. Its defining move is the trump call: one player looks at only their first five cards and commits the whole round to a trump suit. The first team to win seven of the thirteen tricks takes the round, called a court.

▶ Play Court Piece free — learn by doing

How a game works, step by step

Teams. You and the player across the table are partners; your tricks count together.
The call (single sar). The player after the dealer gets 5 cards and announces the trump suit. Then everyone receives the rest of their 13 cards.
Play. The caller leads. You must follow the led suit while you hold it; when you're out of it you may play anything — including a trump to seize the trick.
Winning tricks. The highest trump in a trick wins it; if nobody trumped, the highest card of the led suit wins. The winner leads next.
The court. The instant a team reaches 7 tricks, the round ends and they score one court. Most courts after five rounds wins the match.

A worked example

Your first five cards are K♥ Q♥ 9♥ A♣ 4♦. Call hearts: three trumps with two honours beats a lone ace, because trump LENGTH keeps winning after the honours are gone. Later, your partner leads A♦ which is winning the trick — do not trump it; throw your 4♦ and save your hearts to beat the opponents, not your teammate.

Five mistakes every beginner makes

Calling trump on a strong ace instead of a long suit — length outlasts strength.
Trumping your own partner's winning card, wasting a trump and a trick.
Not counting trumps: once all 13 are gone, your remaining ones rule the table.
Leading suits the opponents are void in — you're feeding their trumps.
Forgetting the score: at 6 tricks, your team needs ONE — take any risk to grab it.

Glossary

Court (kot): Winning a round by taking seven tricks.
Single sar: The trump-calling rule: the caller sees only five cards before deciding.
Rang / Hokm: Literally "colour"/"command" — the trump suit, and other names for the game itself.
Ruff: Playing a trump on a trick when you cannot follow suit.

Learning FAQ

Is Court Piece hard to learn?: The rules are simpler than Callbreak — no bidding, no forced captures of tricks. The skill is the trump call and partner coordination, which come with play.
How do I choose the trump suit?: From your five cards, pick your longest suit; break ties toward the one with higher honours. Three small hearts is usually a better call than a lone ace of clubs.
Where can I play Court Piece online free?: TimeWellLost lets you play Court Piece free in the browser with an AI partner and opponents — the built-in tutorial walks your first round.

Ready to try?

The fastest way to learn Court Piece is a real game with the rules enforced for you: play Court Piece free at TimeWellLost — the first game includes a step-by-step tutorial.