Contrée points and scoring
Updated
In contrée everything is decided over 162 points per deal. Here are the values to know and a method to count them fast, without mixing up columns.
Card values in the trump suit
In trumps, the Jack and the 9 outrank the Ace, the quirk that throws new players off.
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Jack | 20 |
| 9 | 14 |
| Ace | 11 |
| 10 | 10 |
| King | 4 |
| Queen | 3 |
| 8 and 7 | 0 |
Card values in plain suits
Outside trumps the order goes back to normal and the Jack is worth only 2 points.
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Ace | 11 |
| 10 | 10 |
| King | 4 |
| Queen | 3 |
| Jack | 2 |
| 9, 8 and 7 | 0 |
The complete table, ranking orders included, is on card values.
Why a deal is worth 162 points
Add up every card in a deal and you get 152 points. On top of that comes the 10 de der, the bonus awarded to the team that wins the last trick. Total: 162. Those 10 points swing plenty of tight contracts, so keep something to take the last trick with.
Two bonuses sit above that total:
- Belote: King and Queen of trumps in the same hand, 20 points, declared as you play the two cards.
- Capot: all 8 tricks for one team, which gets a 90-point bonus (252 instead of 162). Bid, it is a 250 contract: made, 252 + 250 = 502; failed, the defence scores 162 + 250 = 412 (502 if it takes every trick).
Counter and re-counter: x2 and x4
When the defence counters the contract, the contract counts double (x2). If the taking team re-counters, it counts quadruple (x4). The winning side scores 162 plus the multiplied contract, so a countered failure is brutally expensive: it is the main accelerator in a game of contrée.
Counting fast at the end of a deal
The safest method: count the points in your pile, then get the opponents' by subtracting from 162, rather than counting twice. Group cards into tens (an Ace and a Queen make nearly 14, two tens make 20) and you will go twice as fast. Finally compare with the contract bid: reach it and it is made, fall short and it fails. To practise without pen and paper, play a deal on Coincheur, where the count happens in front of you.
Want to practise? Play coinche online for free: tunable AIs and a coach are waiting for you on Coincheur.See also
FAQ
How many points are there in a contrée deal?
162 points: 152 held in the cards and 10 for winning the last trick. Belote and capot are added on top depending on the deal.
How much is belote worth in contrée?
20 points, for holding the King and Queen of trumps in the same hand. You must declare it as you play the two cards.
What does a capot score in contrée?
Bid, a capot (all 8 tricks for one team) is a 250 contract: made, it scores 252 + 250 = 502 points. If it fails, the defence scores 162 + 250 = 412 (502 if it takes every trick itself). Unbid, it brings a 90-point bonus: 252.