Hokm♠

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The player who commands trump

Hokm is strongly associated with Iranian social card play and Persian-speaking communities. The word names the command or trump; the Hakem is the player entrusted to choose it. Its structure belongs to the broad whist family, but the early trump decision and changing Hakem create their own rhythm. A precise inventor or first date is not established here. This guide covers the four-player partnership form; two-player drawing and three-player majority rules require different deals and are not mixed into it.

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Find partners and the first Hakem

Use 52 cards without jokers, 4 players, partners opposite. Rank A K Q J 10 down to 2 in every suit. To select seats, expose cards anticlockwise: the first ace identifies Hakem; skip that player thereafter and continue until the next ace identifies the partner. Reseat if needed. Gather all cards and shuffle again: selection cards are not the opening hand. The opponent left of Hakem deals; Hakem’s partner may cut. Deal and play anticlockwise.

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Trump after five, not thirteen

Deal 5 cards first to Hakem, on the dealer’s right. Pause before giving cards to Hakem’s partner: Hakem examines only those 5 and names one suit as trump, with no consultation. Continue the first packet around the table, then deal packets of 4 and 4 so each player has 13. All 52 are in hands; no stock, exchange or dummy exists. Trump remains fixed throughout this hand. Hakem leads any card to the opening trick.

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Follow suit and count team tricks

Each player contributes 1 card anticlockwise. Follow the led suit whenever you have it, even if your partner is winning. If void, play any card: trumping and overtrumping are not compulsory. The highest trump wins; without trump, highest of the led suit wins. The winner leads next. Count the partners’ tricks together. Stop as soon as either partnership reaches 7 tricks; leftover cards need not be played because the hand’s outcome is already decided.

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Kot, Hakem Koti and succession

A normal hand win earns 1 match point. If Hakem’s team takes the first 7 tricks without losing any, award 2 instead: Kot. If the opponents do that against Hakem, award 3 instead: Hakem Koti. These are replacement scores, not added bonuses. First team to at least 7 match points wins. If Hakem’s team wins the hand, both Hakem and dealer stay. If it loses, the old Hakem becomes dealer and the player on that person’s right becomes the next Hakem. Keep the same partnerships.

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A legal ruff and a match finish

Hakem chooses hearts from A♥ Q♥ 9♥ K♣ 4♦. Later A leads K♣; in anticlockwise order B plays 3♣, C 2♥ while void in clubs, and D A♣. C wins with the trump despite D’s ace. A player holding clubs could not copy C’s ruff. Suppose Hakem’s side then wins the hand by 7 tricks to 2: score 1, not Kot. Separately, opponents on 5 match points taking the first 7 tricks score 3, reach 8 and win the match immediately.

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Common questions