Count a deal's points in seconds
Counting a deal means splitting 162 points. With the right method you check a contract in seconds instead of adding card by card.
The method in 3 reflexes
Instead of counting each card one by one, use these reflexes:
- Spot the big cards first: jack and nine of trump (20 and 14), ace and ten of every suit (11 and 10). They make the score.
- Group by tens: a side ace plus a jack = 13, two tens = 20, and so on. Round packets are faster to add.
- Add the 10 de der to the team that won the last trick. It's easy to forget and it decides tight contracts.
The total to remember
The cards are worth 152 points, plus 10 for the last trick = 162. If you count one team's tricks and points are missing, it's usually a forgotten ten or ace. Tip: count the side with fewer tricks, then do 162 minus that total for the other side. It's faster.
Check without errors
At the end of the deal both totals must add up to exactly 162 (or 250 on a bid capot). If the sum is off, recount: you either double-counted a card or forgot the last-trick bonus. On Coincheur the maths is automatic: you see each trick's count in real time, which teaches card values by example.
Play a deal on Coincheur and watch the counter run trick after trick.
See also
FAQ
How do you count a deal without mistakes?
Spot the big cards first (jack and nine of trump, aces and tens), group them into packets of ten, then add the last-trick bonus to the team that won the final trick.
What should both sides total?
Exactly 162 points on a normal deal (152 in cards plus 10 for the last trick). If the sum is off, a card was forgotten or counted twice.