Belote coinchée and coinche: the same game?
Updated
Good news: belote coinchée and coinche are the same game. "Belote coinchée" is simply the full name of what we shorten to "coinche".
Why two names?
Coinche grew out of belote. The word coinche comes from the act of coincher (doubling an opponent's contract judged too ambitious). Since this doubling is the game's big novelty, people spoke of "belote coinchée", soon shortened to "coinche".
How does it differ from classic belote?
- Classic belote: trump is chosen by turning up a card; bidding is very simple (take or pass).
- Belote coinchée / coinche: real numbered bidding (from 80 to capot), the taker freely chooses trump, and opponents can double (×2) or redouble (×4).
And where does contrée fit in?
"Contrée" is another regional name for the same kind of game with doublable bidding. The nuances between coinche and contrée vary by region and table, but the core (numbered bidding + doubling) is identical. It's best to agree on exact conventions before playing.
Side-by-side: classic belote vs belote coinchée
| Classic belote | Belote coinchée (coinche) | |
|---|---|---|
| Dealing | 5 cards, one card turned up, then 3 more (2 for the taker, who takes the turned-up card) | All 8 cards at once, often in packets of 3, 2 and 3 |
| Choosing trump | Around the turned-up card, over two rounds | Free, through the auction |
| Bidding | Take or pass | Numbered, from 80 to 160, then capot |
| Doubling | No, in the classic version | Coinche (×2) and surcoinche (×4) |
| Points per deal | 162 (152 + 10 de der) | 162 (152 + 10 de der) |
| Belote | 20 | 20 |
Card values are the same in both games (in trumps: Jack 20, 9 14, Ace 11, 10 10, King 4, Queen 3). If you know belote, you can already play the cards in coinche: what changes is everything that happens before the first card.
A common mistake when moving from belote to coinche
In classic belote, the taker just needs to outscore the defence. In coinche, they must reach the contract they bid. Example: you bid 110 and your team takes 100 points. In belote, 100 against 62 would have been enough. In coinche, you're short of your 110: the contract fails, and under the most common scale the defence scores 162 + 110, so 272.
The habit to build: bid what your hand can genuinely deliver, not what you'd like it to. To practise, see counting your hand's points before bidding.
Want to practise? Play coinche online for free: tunable AIs and a coach are waiting for you on Coincheur.See also
FAQ
Are belote coinchée and coinche the same?
Yes, it's exactly the same game. Coinche is short for belote coinchée. The name comes from the act of coinching, that is doubling an opponent's contract.
What's the difference from classic belote?
Classic belote has very simple bidding and trump set by a turned-up card. Coinche adds real numbered bidding, free choice of trump, and the ability to double (×2) or redouble (×4).
Do melds (tierce, fifty, hundred) exist in belote coinchée?
It depends on the table. Many play coinche without melds, others score them as in classic belote. Agree before the game.
Can you coinche in classic belote?
Not in the classic version: without numbered bids, there's no precise contract to double. It's precisely the arrival of doubling that gave belote coinchée its name.