Belote Scoring: Card Values and Announces
Every belote deal contains exactly 162 points. Once you know the two value tables — trump and non-trump — the whole game becomes a matter of counting down from that number.
Card values
| Card | At trump | Non-trump |
|---|---|---|
| Jack | 20 | 2 |
| Nine | 14 | 0 |
| Ace | 11 | 11 |
| Ten | 10 | 10 |
| King | 4 | 4 |
| Queen | 3 | 3 |
| 8 and 7 | 0 | 0 |
Where 162 comes from
152 points sit in the cards themselves, and the last trick is worth 10 more — the dix de der. Add them and every deal totals 162, which is the number you use to check your count before writing anything down.
Belote and rebelote
Holding both the king and queen of trumps is worth 20 extra points. You announce "belote" when playing the first of the two and "rebelote" on the second — forget to announce and the 20 points are lost, which is the single most common way to lose a deal you had won.
Making the contract, or falling
- The taking team must score more than the defenders to make the contract.
- If it falls short, it scores nothing and the defenders take all 162, plus any announce.
- Winning every trick is a capot: 252 points instead of 162.
- First team to 501 over the session wins.
Frequently asked questions
At trump the order changes entirely: jack (20) then nine (14) outrank the ace. It is the defining quirk of belote and the first thing new players get wrong.
Yes. The 20 points for belote-rebelote are kept by the holder regardless of whether the contract is made — they are the one score that survives a fall.