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Download on Google Play- Use a standard 52-card deck for 3-6 players.
- Deal exactly 5 cards to each player.
- Turn the next card face-up to determine trump.
- Bid how many of the 5 tricks you expect to win.
- Dealer bids last and cannot make total bids equal five.
- Follow suit if possible; highest trump or led suit wins.
- Exact bid: 10 points plus 2 per trick taken.
- Missed bid: 0 points for the round.
Rules
Femkort, meaning 'five cards' in Swedish, is a quick and accessible trick-taking game where each player receives exactly five cards. Players bid on how many tricks they expect to win, making it an excellent introduction to the trick-taking genre.
Objective
Correctly predict and win the exact number of tricks you bid. Winning more or fewer tricks than your bid results in penalty points.
Setup
- Players: 3 to 6 players.
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck.
- Deal: Deal exactly 5 cards to each player. Turn the next card face-up to determine the trump suit.
Gameplay
- Bidding: Starting with the player left of the dealer, each player declares how many of the five tricks they expect to win. The dealer bids last and cannot bid a number that would make the total bids equal five.
- Trick play: The player left of the dealer leads the first trick. Players must follow suit if possible; otherwise, they may play any card including trump.
- Winning tricks: The highest trump wins the trick, or the highest card of the led suit if no trump is played.
Scoring
- Exact bid: Score 10 points plus 2 points per trick taken.
- Missed bid: Score 0 points for the round, regardless of tricks taken.
Variations
- Ascending Femkort: Play multiple rounds, starting with 1 card in the first round and increasing to 5, then back down.
- Blind Femkort: The trump card remains hidden until the first trump is played.
Tips and Strategies
- With only five tricks available, even one miscalculation costs you the entire round's score.
- Pay close attention to the trump suit and count how many trump cards might be in play.
- Bidding zero can be a smart play with a weak hand, as the 10-point bonus for an exact bid is valuable.
Tips & Strategy
Bidding zero with a weak hand is often underrated. The 10-point bonus for a correct bid makes conservative play highly rewarding in Femkort.
The dealer position is both an advantage and a constraint. While you see all other bids before making yours, the restriction prevents you from making a safe bid, requiring creative hand evaluation.
Trivia & Fun Facts
The dealer's bidding restriction in Femkort ensures that at least one player will miss their bid each round, guaranteeing competitive tension.
What does 'Femkort' literally translate to in English?
History & Culture
Femkort belongs to the same family as Oh Hell and other exact-bidding trick games. It became particularly popular in Swedish schools and youth groups during the mid-20th century.
Femkort is widely played across Sweden as a lighthearted social game, often chosen for its quick rounds and ability to accommodate larger groups of players.
Variations & House Rules
Ascending Femkort gradually increases the hand size over multiple rounds, creating an escalating challenge. Blind Femkort hides the trump suit for extra uncertainty.
Add a negative scoring penalty for missed bids to raise the stakes, or play with a fixed number of rounds for a defined game length.
