Everyone passes: what now?
Updated
When all four players pass and no contract is taken, the deal is void and you redeal.
The rule: no contract, no play
To play a deal, at least one team must take a contract (80 minimum). If all four players pass in a row on the first round, nobody commits and there is nothing to play. The deal is said to be "passed" or void.
You redeal
The cards are gathered and shuffled, then dealt again. Most commonly the next dealer (the player to the right of the previous one) takes over, as if the deal had run normally. Some tables prefer the same dealer to redeal: agree on this beforehand.
No points are scored
Nobody scores: the running total stays the same. It's simply a reset of the deal, with no penalty, just a little lost time. That's often why a player with a decent hand will take at 80 rather than risk a redeal. Your call, though: taking at 80 on a mediocre hand is still a gamble, and a redeal might hand you a far better hand.
Example: speaking last after three passes
You're the dealer and the other three have passed. Your hand: Jack and 9 of hearts, 7 of hearts, Ace and 10 of spades, King of clubs, 8 and 7 of diamonds. You can pass and cause a redeal, or take at 80 in hearts.
- For taking: Jack and 9 of trumps plus an Ace and a 10 on the side is a base many players consider enough for 80. And the three passes tell you nobody else holds a very strong hand.
- For passing: only three trumps, and your partner has shown nothing. If trumps split badly, 80 can fail.
Both choices hold up. What matters is having a reason. For fuller guidelines, see when to open at 80.
How it differs from classic belote
In classic belote, bidding revolves around a turned-up card: if nobody takes it in the first round, there's a second round where another suit can be chosen, and only after two rounds without a taker do you redeal. Coinche has no turned-up card: the auction goes round as long as someone raises, and if all four players pass straight away, you redeal at once.
Once a bid has been made, passes no longer void the deal: the auction ends when the other three players pass after the last bid, and that contract is played.
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FAQ
What happens if everyone passes?
The deal is void and you redeal: the cards are gathered, shuffled and dealt again. No points are scored.
Who redeals when all players pass?
Most often the next dealer, the player to the right of the previous one. Some tables have the same player redeal.
Is there a second round of bidding when everyone passes?
Not in coinche: if all four players pass without a bid, you redeal. The second round with a choice of another suit belongs to classic belote, where trump is proposed by a turned-up card.
If someone bids 80 and the other three pass, is there a redeal?
No. As soon as there is a bid, three consecutive passes after it close the auction and the 80 contract is played.