Marseille coinche

Marseille coinche is the most common form of coinche in southern France. It's really what many people simply call "coinche".

What are we talking about?

Depending on the region, "coinche" and "contrée" mean slightly different things. Marseille coinche is defined by numbered bidding (from 80 up to capot, in steps of 10) with a choice of trump suit, and the option to coinche (double) and then surcoinche (redouble) the opponents.

Bidding and multipliers

Each player in turn bids a numbered contract and a suit (or No-Trump / All-Trump). If an opponent thinks the contract can't be made, they coinche: points are then doubled (×2). The doubled side can fight back by surcoinching (×4). That's the spice of the variant: bluff and defiance are part of the game.

No-Trump and All-Trump

The Marseille version readily includes two special contracts: No-Trump (no suit is trump, the Ace is worth 19) and All-Trump (all four suits are trump, with a dedicated scale). They enrich the bidding and reward balanced hands or hands loaded with jacks.

Scoring

The scoring is standard coinche: 162 points per deal (152 + 10 for the last trick), belote (K+Q of trumps) at 20, bid capot at 250. Games are commonly played to 1000, 1500 or 2000 points depending on local habits.

See also

FAQ

What's the difference between coinche and Marseille coinche?

Marseille coinche is the most widespread form of coinche in the south, with numbered bidding, doubling (coinche ×2) and redoubling (surcoinche ×4). Many people just call it coinche.

Is No-Trump mandatory in Marseille coinche?

No, but it's very often included, as is All-Trump. They are special contracts that enrich the bidding. Check with your table whether they're allowed.