Get the full experience in CardRules+
300+ games with text-to-speech, game night planner, quick reference cards, and offline access.
Download on Google Play- Use a standard 52-card deck with 4 players in two partnerships.
- Deal 13 cards to each player.
- Trump is activated when a player first cannot follow suit and plays a trump card.
- Follow the led suit if possible; otherwise play any card.
- The highest trump wins; without trump, the highest card of the led suit wins.
- Count captured tens after all 13 tricks are played.
- Capturing 3 or 4 tens wins the round.
- Two consecutive round wins earn a court, which wins the game.
- Capturing all 4 tens (sirr) is an automatic court win.
Rules
Dehla Pakad, meaning 'collect the tens,' is a North Indian partnership trick-taking game focused on capturing tens over a series of rounds. It uses an accumulating scoring system where successive wins build toward a decisive victory called a 'court.'
Objective
Capture the majority of the four tens through trick-taking across multiple rounds. Consecutive round wins build toward a 'court' (winning two consecutive rounds with 3+ tens), which wins the overall game.
Setup
- Players: 4 players in two fixed partnerships.
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck.
- Deal: Each player receives 13 cards.
- Trump: Determined by the first card played that a player cannot follow suit to, or by a predetermined rule.
Gameplay
- Leading: The player to the dealer's left leads any card.
- Following suit: Players must follow the led suit if possible. If unable, they may play any card.
- Trump activation: The trump suit is activated when a player first fails to follow suit and plays a card of the trump suit.
- Winning tricks: The highest trump wins. Without trump, the highest card of the led suit wins.
- Collecting tens: Teams count how many tens they captured after all 13 tricks are played.
Scoring
- Tens captured: The team with 3 or 4 tens wins the round.
- Two-two split: If each team captures 2 tens, the round is a draw and does not advance the scoring ladder.
- Court system: Teams must win consecutive rounds to climb the scoring ladder. A court (two consecutive wins) wins the game.
- Sirr: Capturing all 4 tens in a single round counts as an automatic court win.
Variations
- Mendikot crossover: Some groups use Mendikot scoring within the Dehla Pakad framework.
- Open trump: A simpler variant where trump is declared before play begins rather than activated dynamically.
Tips and Strategies
- Lead aces to safely extract high cards from opponents before playing your tens.
- Coordinate with your partner on which suits to lead to protect or attack tens.
- When your team has won the previous round, play aggressively to close out the court before opponents can reset the ladder.
Tips & Strategy
The court system means momentum matters enormously. After winning a round, shift to aggressive play to prevent opponents from breaking your streak.
Dynamic trump activation means the timing of when trump is revealed can be manipulated. Skilled players may deliberately void a suit to activate trump at a strategically advantageous moment.
Trivia & Fun Facts
The court scoring system creates dramatic momentum swings where a team on the verge of victory can be pulled back by a single lost round, adding tension to every deal.
What does the Hindi phrase 'Dehla Pakad' translate to in English?
History & Culture
Dehla Pakad has been played across North India for generations, particularly in Delhi and surrounding regions. Its name, meaning 'collect the tens,' perfectly describes the game's singular focus.
Dehla Pakad is a cherished part of North Indian card culture, played in homes, parks, and social clubs as a test of partnership skill and communication.
Variations & House Rules
Some groups simplify by using fixed trump instead of dynamic trump activation, while others merge scoring elements from the closely related game Mendikot.
Require three consecutive wins instead of two for a court to extend the game and create more comeback opportunities.
