How to Play

Diloti is a Greek fishing card game for 2 or 4 players (in partnerships), mixing Casino-style captures with a declaration mechanic. Aces, the 10 of Diamonds, the 2 of Clubs, capture majority, and xeri sweeps all score toward 61 or 101 points.

Diloti (Greek Δηλωτή, 'declaration') is a Greek fishing card game in the Casino family, combining ideas from two older Greek games, Kontsina and Xeri, with a Casino-style declaration mechanic. Two players head-to-head, or four in fixed partnerships of two, capture cards from a face-up table by matching ranks or by playing a card whose rank equals the sum of several table cards. A single card that clears the entire table scores a xeri (sweep) worth 10 bonus points, and players can lock up a pile of cards by 'declaring' its total value so that it can only be captured by a card of that exact rank. Points come from aces, the 10 of Diamonds, the 2 of Clubs, capture majority, and xeri bonuses. The game is traditionally played to 61 or 101 points across multiple deals and is a staple of Greek taverna evenings.

Players

Diloti is played by exactly 2 players head-to-head, or by 4 players in two fixed partnerships of two, with partners seated opposite one another. The four-player partnership game is by far the most common form in Greece. With three players the fishing-family rules do not balance cleanly, so it is not the standard format. Play and the deal rotate counter-clockwise.

Card Deck

One standard 52-card French-suited deck, no Jokers. Every card in a suit has both a rank (capture value) and, for four scoring cards, a point value. Capture ranks are Ace = 1, 2 through 10 = face value, Jack = 11, Queen = 12, King = 13. Court cards therefore capture only matching courts (Jack takes Jack, not a 5+6 sum). Scoring cards: each Ace scores 1 point (four in the deck), the 10 of Diamonds scores 2 points , and the 2 of Clubs scores 1 point . All other cards score 0 directly but count toward the capture-majority bonus.

Objective

As an individual or partnership, be the first to reach the agreed target of 61 points (short match) or 101 points (full match) by capturing scoring cards, taking the card-count majority each round, and executing xeri sweeps whenever possible.

Setup and Deal

1. Shuffle the 52-card deck thoroughly. The player to the dealer's left cuts.
2. Deal 6 cards to each player, face-down, in two packets of three, counter-clockwise.
3. Deal 4 cards face-up to the centre of the table to form the initial layout.
4. If three or four of the four table cards are Jacks, or if the layout is otherwise unplayable, return them to the deck and redeal (house rule: Jacks in the initial layout can capture the whole table so some groups still allow them).
5. Set the remaining stock face-down beside the dealer; it will refill hands to 6 cards three more times during the round.
6. The player to the dealer's left plays first.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, play one card from your hand, face-up, and do one of: capture, declare, or trail.
2. Capture: Place the card on top of any table card(s) it can take, then pick up your card plus all captured cards into your own face-down scoring pile in front of you (or your partnership's shared pile). A played card captures: (a) every face-up table card of the same rank; (b) any one group of table cards whose ranks sum exactly to the played card's rank; or (c) both at once (for example, an 8 takes all table 8s plus a face-up 3+5). You may capture multiple same-rank groups at once only if that is the rule your group agrees on before play; by default, pick one legal combination.
3. Declare: Gather one or more numeral table cards together with your played card into a face-up pile, and announce the total value as 'Declaring eight', 'Declaring nine', and so on. The pile can now only be captured by a card of exactly that declared rank (or by an equal or higher declaration that pulls it in). The individual cards inside a declared pile may no longer be captured separately. You cannot declare if you do not hold in hand the exact card needed to later capture the pile yourself.
4. Trail: If you cannot or choose not to capture or declare, place your played card face-up on the table. Your turn ends.
5. Xeri (sweep): If your capturing play takes every face-up, uncaptured card from the table, announce 'Xeri!' and mark the sweep (often by turning one of the captured cards sideways in your scoring pile). Each xeri scores a 10-point bonus at round end. The final trail that empties the table by legal play (last card capture) does not count as a xeri; only a capture from a non-empty table does.
6. Refills: When all players have played their 6 cards, the dealer deals 6 more to each player (no new table cards are added). Repeat until the stock is exhausted after four rounds of dealing.
7. Last card rule: When hands are empty and the stock is spent, the last player to make any capture in the round gathers all remaining face-up and declared cards on the table into their pile (no xeri bonus is earned this way).
8. Courts and captures: Jacks, Queens, and Kings can only capture matching courts (Jack takes Jack, Queen takes Queen, King takes King). You cannot use them for additive captures or declarations.

Scoring

• Each Ace captured: 1 point (4 points total across the deck).
• 10 of Diamonds (the Diloti proper): 2 points.10♦
• 2 of Clubs: 1 point.2♣
• Capture-majority (cards): 4 points to the side that captured more than 26 cards this round. If both sides capture exactly 26, neither scores the 4.
• Xeri (sweep): 10 points for each sweep captured during the round.
• Total maximum per round: 4 Aces + 2 + 1 + 4 majority = 11 points, plus 10 per xeri.
• Record each side's round score and continue dealing new rounds until a side reaches the agreed target.

Winning

The first partnership or player to reach 61 points (short match) or 101 points (full match) at the end of a round wins immediately. If both sides cross the target in the same round, the side with the higher total wins; in a tie, deal one more round and settle the match with whichever side is ahead afterward.

Common Variations

• 61 vs 101 target: Short social games run to 61; full matches run to 101. Agree before dealing.
• Sweeps worth 10 or 5: Some groups, especially in Crete, reduce xeri to 5 points each to tighten scoring.
• Xeristaki (mini-sweep): Clearing all but one declared pile sometimes counts as a half-sweep worth 5 points; strictly a house rule.
• Locked declarations: Some tables forbid raising an already-declared pile; once declared, only the exact rank captures it.
• Partnership or open hands: In friendly play, partners may briefly show one card to each other before the first trick.
• No-courts-additive: All groups treat Jacks, Queens, and Kings as capture-by-match only; this is the default Diloti rule.

Tips and Strategy

• Protect the 10 of Diamonds. It is worth 2 points by itself, so if it is on the table, play any legal card that captures it before an opponent does.10♦
• Track aces. Four aces are worth 4 points. Remember which have fallen; a late ace in an opponent's pile often decides the majority and the diloti split.
• Count cards captured. The 4-point majority bonus goes to whichever side holds more than 26 cards. When the count is near even, small trails versus captures become critical.
• Use declarations to lock partner captures. A declaration is at its most powerful when your partner holds the matching capturing card. In two-player play, declare only when you hold the capture yourself; otherwise you hand the opponent a free pile.
• Watch for xeri setups. If the table has only one card left and you hold a matching capture, trail a card first so your next turn can sweep; but only if no opponent can capture the lone card in the meantime.
• Court management. Since Jacks, Queens, and Kings only match same-rank courts, play them whenever the matching court is on the table rather than hoarding them for nothing.

Glossary

• Diloti (Δηλωτή): 'Declaration'; also the informal name for the 10 of Diamonds, the game's highest single scoring card.10♦
• Xeri: A sweep; capturing every uncovered card on the table in one play. Worth 10 points.
• Declaration: Bundling one or more table cards with your played card into a locked pile capturable only by its announced rank.
• Capture: Taking a card or cards from the table with a rank match or an additive sum.
• Trail: Playing a card to the table without capturing, ending the turn.
• Majority: The 4-point bonus awarded to the side that captured more than half the deck (27 or more cards) in the round.
• Court cards: Jack, Queen, King; capture only by direct rank match in Diloti.K♠Q♠J♠