Step-by-Step
Step 1
Choose a mode
Press Play now at the top of this page to play against bots straight away, with no account. When you want real opponents, a free account lets you queue online.
Step 2
Join a table
Take your seat. The player opposite you is your partner, and the two of you play against the other pair.
Step 3
Follow the prompts
Bid when the auction reaches you and play a card when it is your turn. The table prompts you at every step, so the rhythm of the tricks sinks in after a few hands.
Step 4
Review results
Check the result after the match. With a free account, your games are saved in your history.
Read the Contract Before Playing
Belot's first surprise is that the ace is not always the boss. In a hearts contract the jack of hearts outranks the nine of hearts, and both beat the ace of hearts; the trump jack is worth 20 card points, the trump nine 14 and the ace 11. In a non-trump suit the ace is back on top, with the ten right behind it, so do not judge every suit by the same sequence. Before each card, check three things in order: the contract, the suit that was led, and which of your cards you are allowed to play.
When the hand ends, add up the card points, announcements and last-trick bonus before you judge whether the declaring pair succeeded. More tricks does not mean more points: three tricks full of aces and tens can outweigh five tricks of small cards. Check the result against the scoring guide, then play another hand with that in mind.
Tip
Start with bots to learn the pacing, then play online when you're ready.
Related Guides
From here, the rules page has every detail, the scoring page shows how the points add up, and the strategy page shows what to do with them.