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Download on Google Play- Use a 64-card deck (two piquet decks, 7 through Ace).
- Deal 8 cards each; turn up a card for trump.
- Remaining cards form the stock pile.
- Play a card to the trick; no need to follow suit during the stock phase.
- Trick winner may declare one meld face-up before drawing.
- Both players draw one card from the stock after each trick.
- Bezique (Q Spades + J Diamonds) = 40; Double Bezique = 500.
- Trump sequence (A-10-K-Q-J) = 250 points.
- Four Aces = 100, Kings = 80, Queens = 60, Jacks = 40.
Rules
Bezique is an elegant French trick-and-meld game for two players using a 64-card deck. Players collect tricks to earn melding opportunities, declaring valuable card combinations for points while managing a strategic trick-taking game.
Objective
Score points by declaring melds (special card combinations) and by capturing Aces and Tens in tricks. The first player to reach the target score (usually 1000) wins.
Setup
- Players: 2 players.
- Deck: 64 cards — two standard decks with 2s through 6s removed (A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7 x 2 in each suit).
- Deal: 8 cards to each player, dealt in batches of 3-2-3. Turn up the next card to determine trump.
- Stock: Place remaining cards face-down as the stock pile.
Gameplay
- Tricks: Non-dealer leads. You do not have to follow suit during the stock phase. Higher card of led suit wins, unless trumped.
- Drawing: After each trick, both players draw one card from the stock (trick winner first).
- Melding: After winning a trick (and before drawing), you may declare one meld by placing it face-up on the table. Melded cards remain playable to tricks.
- Endgame: When the stock is exhausted, players must follow suit and trump if possible for the remaining tricks.
Melds
- Bezique: Q of Spades + J of Diamonds = 40 points.
- Double Bezique: Both Queens of Spades + both Jacks of Diamonds = 500 points.
- Royal Marriage: K + Q of trump = 40 points.
- Common Marriage: K + Q of non-trump = 20 points.
- Sequence: A-10-K-Q-J of trump = 250 points.
- Four Aces: 100 points. Four Kings = 80. Four Queens = 60. Four Jacks = 40.
Tips and Strategies
- Win tricks strategically to earn melding opportunities, not just for the trick points themselves.
- Keep track of which high-value melds are still possible given the cards played.
- Save trump cards for the endgame when following suit and trumping become mandatory.
Tips & Strategy
The stock phase is about positioning for melds. The endgame is pure trick-taking skill. Master both phases to excel at Bezique.
Managing when to meld is crucial. Declaring too early reveals your hand; waiting too long risks missing the opportunity before the stock runs out.
Trivia & Fun Facts
The Double Bezique (500 points) is one of the highest-scoring single melds in any card game, and achieving it is a thrilling moment for any player.
Which two specific cards form the basic Bezique meld?
History & Culture
Bezique became hugely popular in Paris in the 1860s and quickly spread to England. Winston Churchill was reportedly an avid Bezique player.
Bezique represents the sophisticated card game culture of 19th-century France and England, and it directly influenced the development of Pinochle in America.
Variations & House Rules
Rubicon Bezique uses 128 cards (four piquet decks) and features many more melds. Chinese Bezique uses six piquet decks for an even grander scale.
For a shorter introduction, play to 500 instead of 1000. For experienced players, Rubicon Bezique with its expanded deck offers much deeper play.
