How to Play

Troefcall is the national card game of Suriname and its diaspora in the Netherlands: a four-player partnership trick-taking game in which the trump caller gets their first five cards, announces the trump suit, and only then receives the rest. Winning seven tricks gives majority; winning the first seven in succession pays a 5-point 'kap partij' bonus.

Troefcall (literally 'trump call', from Dutch troef + English call) is the national card game of the Surinamese community in Suriname and the Netherlands. A four-player partnership trick-taking game derived from the Indian Court Piece tradition, it is played with a full 52-card pack using a distinctive deal pattern: the trump caller receives their first five cards, immediately names the trump suit, and only then does the rest of the hand get dealt. Partnerships must take the majority of tricks, with bonus 'kap partij' scoring rewards for winning the first seven tricks in succession.

Players

Exactly four players in two fixed partnerships, partners sitting opposite each other. Play proceeds clockwise. The four players are traditionally the dealer, the trump caller (the player who names the trump suit), and the two others. Roles rotate clockwise after each hand.

Card Deck

• Use a single standard 52-card pack. No jokers; no cards removed.
• Cards rank normally: A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 (low).A♠K♠Q♠J♠10♠
• There are no card point values for Troefcall; only the count of tricks matters.
• The four Kings, Queens, and Jacks serve the usual rank functions. The Ace is always highest in its suit.A♠K♠Q♠J♠

Objective

Your side's goal is to take the majority of the 13 tricks, i.e. at least 7. Extra rewards exist for winning all 13 ('baunie') or for winning the first 7 tricks in a row ('kap partij'). Matches are played to an agreed target, typically 15, 20, or 50 points.

Selecting the First Trump Caller

1. Before the first deal of a session, any player shuffles and deals cards one at a time face-up around the table.
2. The first player to receive a Jack becomes the first trump caller.
3. The player to that caller's right is the first dealer.
4. After each hand, both roles pass one seat clockwise.

Setup and Deal

1. The dealer shuffles. The trump caller cuts the deck (unusually, the caller cuts, not an opponent).
2. The first five cards go only to the trump caller. They pick up these five cards, evaluate them, and announce the trump suit aloud.
3. Then the rest of the deal completes clockwise: five cards to each of the other three players, then four more cards to each player, then another four cards to each player. Every player ends with 13 cards.
4. Deal passes clockwise after each hand; the new trump caller is the player previously to the caller's left.

Trick Play

1. The trump caller leads the first trick. Any card may be led.
2. Other players must follow suit in clockwise order if they have a card of the suit led.
3. If you cannot follow suit, you may play any card (trumping is optional).
4. Winning the trick: The highest trump beats all non-trumps. If no trump was played, the highest card of the suit led wins. The winner leads the next trick.
5. Thirteen tricks complete the hand.

Scoring

• Majority (7-12 tricks, not all consecutive): Winning side scores 2 points.
• Kap partij by the trick-winner: If a side wins the first 7 tricks in succession and the player whose play wins the 7th trick immediately announces 'kap partij' (or simply 'kap!'), that side scores 5 points and the hand ends immediately.
• Kap partij by the partner: If the first 7 tricks are won consecutively but it is the partner (not the trick-winning player) who announces kap partij, the side scores 2 points only. Either side may stop the hand at that moment.
• Baunie (all 13 tricks): If a side continues past 7 and wins every trick, they score 15 points. The team must have announced the intention after winning the 7th trick; quietly going for baunie is not rewarded.
• Failed baunie attempt: If the side that continued past 7 tricks fails to win all 13, their opponents score 2 points (not the continuing side).

Winning the Match

A Troefcall match continues until one side reaches the agreed target score, most commonly 15, 20, or 50 points. Players may alternatively agree to play a fixed number of hands, or for an agreed time limit, with the side leading at the end declared the winner.

Common Variations

• Target score variations: Quick play to 15 points; standard play to 20; tournament play to 50. Agree before starting.
• Free-trump call: Some clubs allow the caller to delay naming trumps until after all 13 cards are dealt; this is considered easier and is disliked in traditional play.
• Silent kap: Some houses do not require the announcement 'kap partij'; winning the first 7 tricks automatically scores 5 points. The traditional Surinamese form always requires the announcement.
• No-baunie houses: Disallows the all-13 continuation entirely; the hand ends at 7 consecutive tricks with kap partij always scoring 5.
• Team change-up: At the end of a match, the winning partnership remains intact and challenges fresh opponents; a 'king-of-the-hill' evening structure.

Tips and Strategy

• The caller's five-card decision is the whole game. Call trump only if you hold at least four cards in a suit and at least one honour (A, K, Q, or J) in that suit. With three aces and no strong suit, pick the suit where you hold a second card.
• Lead trumps early as the caller. Two rounds of trump leads from the caller will clear opponents' trumps, freeing the caller's side to run side-suit cards.
• Track the kap partij. After the 6th trick, if your side has won all six, every player at the table is mentally counting; the 7th trick is played with extra care.
• Defenders' priority is to break the sequence. Even losing 2 to 11 on majority is less costly than losing 5 to a kap partij. Dump high cards to interrupt a winning streak.
• Consider stopping at 7. A 5-point kap partij is almost always safer than gambling for the 15-point baunie; the risk of yielding 2 to the opponents is real.
• Partnership support: If your partner calls trumps and leads them, play your highest trump second; you signal strength and help draw out an opponent's honour on a single trick.

Glossary

• Tjall / Troef: Trump.
• Trump caller: The player who names the trump suit; rotates one seat clockwise each hand.
• Kap partij (kap!): Winning the first 7 tricks in an unbroken sequence; 5 points when announced by the trick winner.
• Baunie: Winning all 13 tricks in one hand; 15 points if a baunie attempt was announced.
• Kap: One quarter of 52 cards, equal to 13; by extension, one full round of tricks played.
• Dealer: The player immediately to the trump caller's right; deals five cards to the caller first, then completes the deal after trump is announced.