These are Trinidad rules for four players in fixed partnerships, playing to 14. English and North American versions differ; always identify the variant before combining rules.

← On a small screen, scroll the diagram horizontally. →

Before standing or begging, four players have six cards each, partners opposite. The exposed indicator proposes trumps; the remaining pack supports any extra dealing. Fans and piles are schematic; the rules specify card counts.
Before standing or begging, four players have six cards each, partners opposite. The exposed indicator proposes trumps; the remaining pack supports any extra dealing. Fans and piles are schematic; the rules specify card counts.

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Partners and cards

Partners sit opposite. Use 52 cards, no jokers, ranked A K Q J 10 down to 2 in every suit. Deal and play run anticlockwise. Cut for the first dealer, highest card dealing; pass the deal to the right after each hand.

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Deal and decide trumps

Deal six each, singly or in threes, retaining the chosen dealing method for the match. Turn up the next card for trumps. Dealer’s team immediately scores 1 for an ace, 2 for a six or 3 for a jack exposed this way.

The player on dealer’s right may stand or beg. Dealer may keep trumps by giving the opponents one point. Otherwise set the turn-up aside, deal three additional cards each and turn up another, again scoring any ace, six or jack. Repeat if the suit is unchanged. Once a different suit appears it becomes trump. If the deck is exhausted first, reshuffle and redeal, retaining turn-up points already earned.

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Follow suit or trump

Dealer’s right-hand neighbour leads. On a trump lead, follow with a trump if possible. On a non-trump lead, someone holding that suit may either follow suit or play a trump. Someone without the led suit may play anything. There is no requirement to overtrump. Highest trump wins; otherwise highest card of the led suit wins. The winner leads next. Play all cards: six tricks in an unchanged deal, more after additional dealing.

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High, Low, Jack and Game

  • High, 1: the team originally dealt the highest trump in play.
  • Low, 1: the team originally dealt the lowest trump in play, whoever captures it.
  • Jack: 1 if its own team wins the trump jack, or 3 if the opposing team captures it. An undealt jack scores nothing.
  • Game, 1: the greater captured card-value total. In every suit tens count 10, aces 4, kings 3, queens 2, jacks 1; others zero. Equal totals give neither team Game.

First to 14 wins. Award hand categories strictly in High, Low, Jack, Game order, stopping when a team reaches the target. This settles apparently simultaneous finishes. Turn-up bonuses and the conceded begging point count when they occur.

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A small trump can survive capture

Your partnership was dealt A♠ and 2♠ with spades trump. You win the ace but lose the two to an opponent. High and Low both remain yours because ownership at the deal determines them. If that opponent also captures your J♠, their team scores three for Jack. Counting only the number of tricks would miss the main contest.

← On a small screen, scroll the diagram horizontally. →

Spades trump; play anticlockwise. A: 8♣; B: 3♠; C: 10♣; D: 2♣. A leads 8♣. B may play 3♠ even while holding clubs; C follows 10♣ and D 2♣. B captures with the trump.
A leads 8♣. B may play 3♠ even while holding clubs; C follows 10♣ and D 2♣. B captures with the trump.

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Background, variants and irregularities

Charles Cotton recorded All Fours as an English game in 1674. Its later development included North American descendants and a distinct Trinidad tradition. Tobago sometimes substitutes a turned-up two for the six bonus. Some tables prohibit undertrumping; this description does not.

A wrong card corrected before the trick ends avoids a revoke penalty. A proved ordinary revoke gives opponents one point and prevents the offending team scoring Game. Failure to follow a trump lead while holding a top-five trump loses the match. Agree the chosen rules before competitive play.

Common questions

Who scores Low if opponents capture it?+

The partnership originally dealt the lowest trump.

May I trump with the led suit in hand?+

Yes, on a non-trump lead under these Trinidad rules.

What is hang jack?+

Capturing the opponents’ trump jack for three points.