29 Card Game Rules: How to Play 29, Bidding, Trumps, Pair and Scoring

Quick answer: 29 is a four-player partnership game played with 32 cards. Jacks (3 points), nines (2), aces (1) and tens (1) carry the 28 card points. After four cards each, players bid how many points their side will win; the highest bidder secretly picks trumps. Make your bid and your side gains 1 game point; fail and you lose 1. The first side to +6 wins, and a side that falls to -6 loses.

Here are the full 29 card game rules, step by step, so a new player can learn how to play 29 in one sitting. Regional differences are listed at the end.

Keeping score at the table? Our free 29 card game score calculator handles the pair, doubles and the under-half rule.

How to play 29 card game: players and cards

Four players play in two fixed partnerships, partners sitting opposite. Only 32 cards are used: J, 9, A, 10, K, Q, 8 and 7 of each suit. In every suit the cards rank from high to low:

J, 9, A, 10, K, Q, 8, 7

Card points

• Jack: 3 points each
• Nine: 2 points each
• Ace: 1 point each
• Ten: 1 point each
• K, Q, 8, 7: no points

That makes 28 points in the deck. Some groups give 1 extra point for winning the last trick, making 29, which is where the name comes from. Most players today play with 28.

Traditionally, the unused 2s to 5s serve as trump indicators, and each side keeps score with a red six and a black six.

Deal and bidding

1. The dealer gives each player four cards, one at a time. Deal and play go clockwise in most places.
2. The player to the dealer's left bids first. Each bid is a number: the points your side promises to win. Later players bid higher or pass.
3. The lowest bid is 15 and the highest is 28. Many groups use 16 as the minimum.
4. Bidding goes round until three players pass in a row. If the first three all pass, the dealer must bid 15.
5. The winning bidder chooses trumps secretly, placing a card of that suit face down as the trump indicator.
6. The dealer then gives everyone four more cards, so each player holds eight.

How the play works

• The player to the dealer's left leads to the first trick. You must follow suit if you can.
• At first, only the bidder knows the trump suit.
• The first player who cannot follow suit must ask for trumps to be shown. The bidder then reveals the indicator card. If the bidder is the first who cannot follow, they must reveal it themselves.
• A player who cannot follow suit may play any card. Even after asking, you do not have to play a trump.
• From the trick where trumps are revealed, the highest trump wins; otherwise the highest card of the suit led wins. The winner leads next.

The pair (royals)

Once trumps are known, a player holding both the king and queen of trumps can declare them right after their side wins a trick. This is the pair, also called royals or marriage.

• If the bidding side declares it, their target drops by 4, but never below 15.
• If the opponents declare it, the bidding side's target rises by 4, but never above 28.
• You cannot declare it if either card has already been played.

Scoring in 29

After all eight tricks, the bidding side counts the card points in their tricks.

• If they reached their bid (after any pair change), they gain +1 game point.
• If they fell short, they lose 1 game point.
• The other side's score does not change on that deal.

The first side to reach +6 wins the game. A side that drops to -6 loses it.

Worked example

North bids 18 and makes spades trumps. Later, North's partner declares the pair, so the target drops to 14, but the floor is 15, so they need 15. They take 17 points: their side gains 1 game point. Had the opponents declared the pair instead, the target would have risen to 22, and 17 would have cost them 1 game point.

Popular variants

Rules change from region to region, so agree on these before you start:

• Double, redouble and set: an opponent can double (2 game points), the bidding side can redouble (4), and some allow a set (6).
• Seventh card: the bidder can let their seventh card decide trumps.
• Single hand: a player bets on winning all eight tricks alone, with no trumps, for 3 game points won or lost.
• Under half: in Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand, many double the loss if the bidder makes less than half the bid.
• Direction: some regions, including Bangladesh, play counter-clockwise.
• Last trick point: adds 1 point for the last trick, so the top bid is 29.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the game called 29?

The cards hold 28 points, and the old rule added 1 for the last trick, making 29. The name stuck even where that point is no longer counted.

What is the highest card in 29?

The jack is the highest card in every suit, followed by the nine.

What is the minimum bid in 29?

Usually 15, though many groups play with 16. The highest bid is 28.

What happens if everyone passes?

If the first three players pass, the dealer must bid the minimum.

Do you have to play a trump after asking for it?

No. Once you cannot follow suit and ask for trumps to be shown, you may still play any card.

What is the pair in 29?

The king and queen of trumps held by one player. Declared by the bidding side, it lowers their target by 4; declared by the opponents, it raises it by 4.

How many points do you need to win a game of 29?

Six game points. A side that reaches -6 loses. Our 29 score calculator keeps this count for you.

More from DesiTableGames

• 29 card game score calculator
• Court Piece (Rang) score keeper
• Carrom board rules for beginners

Source: Twenty-Nine, pagat.com (John McLeod), updated 1 October 2026. Regional rules vary widely, so settle them at the table.