How to Play

Hazari is a Bangladeshi four-player partition card game where each player secretly arranges 13 dealt cards into three groups of three and one group of four, then plays them in ranked comparison tricks. First to 1000 points wins.

Hazari (Bengali হাজারী, meaning 'one thousand' in Hindi, Urdu, and Bengali) is a four-player partition card game popular in Bangladesh, Bhutan, and eastern India, especially at social gatherings. Each player is dealt the entire deck divided into 13 cards, which they privately arrange into four partitioned groups: three groups of three cards and one group of four. Players then play out their groups in ranked rounds; each round compares one group from each player, and the highest-ranked group wins the combined point value of all four groups. The game rewards smart partitioning (deciding which cards to combine into Troys, Runs, and Colours) and pace, since the partition is committed before any play. The target score is 1000 points (Hazari = thousand) and the match ends when one player reaches it. Unlike trick-taking card games, suits matter only inside combinations, and there is no trump.

Players

Hazari is strictly a 4-player game, because the 52-card deck divides evenly into four 13-card hands. Each player plays for themselves (no partnerships in the base game; the partnership variant is described below). The first dealer is chosen by high-card cut; the deal rotates counter-clockwise after each round, following South Asian card-game convention.

Card Deck

One standard 52-card French-suited deck, no Jokers. Card point values are: Ace = 10, King = 10, Queen = 10, Jack = 10, 10 = 10 (the five 'high cards'), and 2-9 = 5 points each. There are 4 × (10+10+10+10+10) = 200 points in high cards and 4 × (5 × 8) = 160 points in low cards, for a total of 360 points per round. Ranks within a suit go in natural order (Ace high, 2 low) for forming Runs and Colour Runs.

Objective

Be the first player to accumulate 1000 points across multiple rounds by winning ranked comparison tricks with your partitioned groups. Each trick won scores the sum of point values of all four groups compared in it. Smart partitioning (which cards to lock into which of your four groups) is the core of the game.

Setup and Deal

1. Shuffle the 52-card deck thoroughly. The player to the dealer's right cuts.
2. Deal 13 cards face-down to each of the four players, distributed counter-clockwise one at a time.
3. Each player privately arranges their 13 cards into four groups: three groups of 3 cards and one group of 4 cards. The 4-card group may be any of the group types (with an extra card; see combinations).
4. Once partitioned, groups are locked: you cannot rearrange them during the round.
5. The player to the dealer's left leads the first comparison.

Combinations (ranked highest to lowest)

• Troy (three of a kind): Three cards of the same rank (for example, three Kings). Ties: higher rank wins.
• Colour Run (straight flush): Three consecutive cards of the same suit (for example, 9-10-J of Hearts). Ties: higher top card wins.
• Run (straight): Three consecutive cards of mixed suits. Ties: higher top card wins.
• Colour (flush): Three cards of the same suit, not consecutive. Ties: highest card in group wins; then second highest; and so on.
• Pair: Two cards of the same rank plus one kicker (unmatched card of any rank). Ties: higher pair rank wins, then higher kicker.
• Indi (high-card group): Three unmatched, non-consecutive, mixed-suit cards. Ties: highest rank wins, then second, then third.
• A higher category always beats a lower category, regardless of individual card values. A Run of three 4s and 5s and 6s loses to any Troy.
• Four-card group rule: Your one 4-card group is formed by adding a fourth card to any of the above categories: a Troy+1 is four-of-a-kind (higher than a three-card Troy for comparison); a 4-card Colour Run, Run, Colour, or Indi extends its 3-card cousin by one card. A pair + 2 kickers is usually played as a low Indi; a two-pair is scored by higher pair first. Agree interpretations before play.

Gameplay

1. After partitioning, players play out their groups in four comparison tricks (three tricks of 3-card groups and one trick of 4-card groups, in any order each player chooses each trick).
2. Trick mechanics: The trick leader (the player to the dealer's left on the first trick; the previous trick's winner thereafter) places one of their four groups face-up in front of them. In clockwise order, each remaining player places one of their groups face-up.
3. Group-type choice: The leader chooses whether this trick will be played with the 4-card group (the 'big' trick) or with a 3-card group (the 'small' tricks). All four players must then play a group of the same size as the leader. Each player may only use each of their four groups once per round.
4. Trick winner: The four played groups are compared by category (from the ranking list). The highest-ranked group wins the trick and gathers all four groups into their scoring pile.
5. Point award: The trick winner scores the sum of point values of all 16 cards (for 4-card groups) or 12 cards (for 3-card groups) played to that trick.
6. The trick winner leads the next trick and may choose the size of the next group played.
7. Four tricks total per round: Since each player has exactly four groups (three 3-card plus one 4-card), exactly four comparison tricks resolve the round. Record each player's round score.
8. Bonus (optional local rule): Some groups award +100 bonus points for playing and winning with a Troy of Aces (AAA) or for a Colour Run A-K-Q; agree before the match.

Scoring

• Each round distributes 360 points in total across the four tricks.
• Each trick's points = sum of face values of all cards played to it (20 to 50 points per small trick; 25 to 60 per big trick, depending on high-card content).
• A player's round score is the sum of points from tricks they won.
• Add round scores to running totals. The first player to reach or exceed 1000 points at the end of a round wins the match; if two players cross 1000 in the same round, the higher total wins (ties are broken by total Troys won during the match).
• Bust rule (optional): Some groups penalize a round score of 0 (winning no tricks) with a -50 deduction; agree before play.

Winning

The match ends the moment a player's cumulative score reaches 1000 points or more at the close of any round. If multiple players cross 1000 in the same round, the player with the highest cumulative total wins; if still tied, settle with a single tie-breaker round between those players. Some groups also play a Double Hazari match to 2000 points for longer sessions.

Common Variations

• Double Hazari: Target is 2000 points for long family matches.
• Short Hazari: Target is 500 points for quick sessions.
• Partnership Hazari: Four players form two partnerships, partners sitting across. Partners' round scores are summed; all scoring rules are otherwise identical.
• Troy-Bonus Hazari: Winning a trick with a Troy of Aces awards +100 bonus. Winning with any Troy of face cards awards +50.
• Six-card Hazari: For informal play, split into two groups of 3 and one group of 4 (10 cards each from a 40-card subset of the deck), shorter round.
• All-Indi rule: A player may declare at round start that all four of their groups are Indi; this usually loses all tricks but, as compensation, they only lose 30 points per round regardless of tricks won.

Tips and Strategy

• Partition for peaks and troughs. You cannot win every trick with four balanced mid-strength groups; a better plan is one strong group (for example a Troy of Kings) that cannot lose, plus three deliberately weak Indi groups that will concede tricks but cost you only the high cards you bundled elsewhere.
• Keep your Troys intact. Three Aces is a Troy that beats every three-card group except a higher Troy. Never split it across an Indi and a Pair just because you are tempted to grease two groups.
• The 4-card group is for your best or your worst. If you have four-of-a-kind, play it here for the biggest trick. If you have four mismatched face-card leftovers, make the 4-card group a weak Indi to lose a small trick with lots of junk.
• Lead small tricks when strong. A Troy of Aces in a small trick scoops 50+ points. Leading the small trick first controls which of your small groups resolves against your opponents' hoped-for strong group.
• Watch the big trick timing. When your 4-card group is weak, lead it as the first trick to dump it at minimum cost; when strong, save it for the final trick so opponents' best groups have already been used.
• Count suits. Since there are exactly 13 of each suit, after one round of play you can estimate which suits the others concentrated in; in subsequent rounds, partition away from suits you know are crowded at the other players' positions.

Glossary

• Hazari: 'One thousand' in Hindi/Urdu/Bengali; also the target score.
• Troy: Three of a kind; the highest-ranked 3-card category.
• Colour Run: Three consecutive cards of the same suit (straight flush).
• Run: Three consecutive cards of mixed suits (straight).
• Colour: Three cards of the same suit, not consecutive (flush).
• Pair: Two cards of the same rank plus one unmatched kicker.
• Indi: Three unmatched, non-consecutive, mixed-suit cards; the weakest category.
• Partition: The private arrangement of your 13 cards into four locked groups before any trick is played.
• Big trick: The single comparison trick played using everyone's 4-card group.
• Small tricks: The three comparison tricks played using everyone's 3-card groups.