Coinche Rules (French Contract Belote)

La Coinche: French Contract Belote

La Coinche is a popular French card game that belongs to the Jass family, known for its unique auction and bidding system. This game is played between two teams of two players (North/South versus East/West) using a 32-card pack.

Game Overview

Belote belongs to the Jass family of games, which originated in the Netherlands in the early 18th century or earlier, spread across Europe, reached Switzerland by the late 18th century and — surprisingly — did not arrive in France until the First World War. The name "La Coinche" comes from the French term "coincher," a form of "contrer," meaning to double an opponent's bid when you believe it will fail. The plain game of Belote, in which a card is turned during the deal to propose a trump suit, is still played in some rural areas under the name "La Tourne"; since the Second World War, versions of La Coinche — where trumps are instead chosen by bidding — have supplanted it in many places.

The ranks and point values of the cards differ between the trump suit and the plain suits. In trumps, in descending order: Jack (20 points), 9 (14), Ace (11), 10 (10), King (4), Queen (3), 8 (0), 7 (0). In the other suits: Ace (11), 10 (10), King (4), Queen (3), Jack (2), 9 (0), 8 (0), 7 (0). Every deal therefore holds 152 points in cards, plus 10 for the last trick and a possible 20 for belote — a total of 162 or 182 points.

Objective

The main objective in La Coinche is to reach a score of 2000 points or more to win the match. The game involves winning tricks containing valuable cards, with additional points awarded for winning the last trick (10 points for "dix de der") and holding the king and queen of trumps together (20 points for "belote").

Setup

At the start of a match, the dealer is chosen by lot. The dealer shuffles the cards (if it's the first deal, they must be shuffled) and the player to the dealer's left cuts. The dealer deals all the cards: a batch of 3 cards to each player beginning with the player to his right, then two cards each, then three again (or the cards can be dealt 3-3-2 or 2-3-3).

How to Play

The players take turns to bid or pass during the bidding phase, starting with the player to the dealer's right. Each player may pass, bid, double the opponent's bid (coinche), redouble (surcoinche), or bid a "capot" (slam). The bidding ends when all four players pass, after a bid, or with a capot bid or a coinche. The team that bid the highest and last wins the bidding, and their contract is to take at least as many points in tricks as they bid.

The cards are played out in eight tricks, with the player to the dealer's right leading any card of his choice to the first trick. Players must follow suit if possible, but if a trump is led, each player must if possible beat the highest trump in the trick. If a player is unable to follow suit, they must play a trump or discard any card if they have no card of the suit led and no trumps. The team that won the bidding now tries to make their contract by winning tricks containing valuable cards.

Scoring and End of Game

When all eight tricks have been played, each team counts the points they have won: the cards in their tricks, the last trick, and the Belote if declared. If the contract succeeds, the bidding team scores the number of points they took plus the number they bid, and their opponents score the points they took. If the contract fails, the bidding team scores nothing (except 20 points for Belote if declared), and their opponents score 160 plus the amount of the bid. Scores are rounded to the nearest 10, with scores ending in 5 rounded upwards. If the bidding team wins every trick (capot) they score 250 plus the amount of the bid; if they actually bid capot and make it, they score 500, plus 20 for Belote if declared. If a bid of capot is lost, the opponents score 500.

A coinche doubles the score for the bid only, and a surcoinche doubles it again. For example, if we bid 100, they say coinche, we declare a Belote and the contract fails, we score 20 and our opponents score 160 + (100 × 2) = 360. The game ends when one or both teams reach 2000 points or more, and the team with the higher score wins; in case of a tie, the winners of the latest deal win the game.

Common Variants

La Coinche has a huge number of regional and house variations, differing between regions of France and between groups of players. They affect every part of the game: the deal, the bidding, the play, and the scoring. Because of that, the sensible habit is to agree on which version you are using before the first deal rather than assuming everyone at the table shares the same rules.

A Note on Bidding

As a rough guide, reckon on about 20 points for each trick you expect to win, plus an extra 20 if you hold a Belote. On that basis you can bid 100 if you are confident of winning at least five tricks.

A Fun Fact or Record

The game's name, "La Coinche," comes from the French term "coincher," which means to double or counter an opponent's bid. This action is a key element of the game and can significantly alter the scoring.

Where to Get the Game

Start your La Coinche journey with a 32-card deck available on Amazon.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Failing to understand the bidding system: Take time to understand the different bidding options, as they play a crucial role in the game.
Neglecting the importance of Belote: Remember that holding the king and queen of trumps together can earn an additional 20 points, which may help you achieve your target score.
Misplaying the first trick when declaring Belote: When declaring Belote, ensure you say "belote" as you play the first of the two cards and "rebelote" as you play the second card to earn the full 20 points.

FAQ

What is the minimum bid in La Coinche?
- The minimum bid is 82 points, announced by convention as "80". Every bid must be a multiple of 10 and higher than the previous one.
Can a capot bid be coinched?
- No. A capot bid ends the bidding and cannot be doubled.
What happens if I bid "capot" and fail to take all tricks?
- If you bid "capot" and fail to take all tricks, your opponents score 500 points.
Does the Belote still count if the contract fails?
- Yes. The 20 points for Belote count towards making the contract and are scored by the bidding team even when the contract fails.
How are scores rounded in La Coinche?
- Scores are rounded to the nearest 10, with scores ending in 5 rounded upwards.