The Betel. Part 2. The play.

The Betel. Part 1. Terms. <- previous part

The play (second part of deal)

Take a card and place it, face up, in the center of the table. Three cards so played, one from each "hand" in rotation, constitute a "trick". The first card played to a trick is a "lead". The leader to a trick may lead any card. The other two "hands" must follow suit and put any higher card in this suit if they can. If you don't have a higher card in suit you can put any lower in that suit. If you are unable to follow suit, you must put the "trump". If there is already trump you must put any higher trump. If you have no higher trump you must put any lower trump. If you have no trump you may play any card. For the first trick "declarer" makes the first lead ("the opening lead"). The player who gave the highest card in the suit of lead takes the trick, unless someone has trumped, then the one who gave the highest trump takes the trick. For each subsequent trick the first "lead" is made by the player who took the previous trick.

The game is played in suit, notrump or in "betel-shaped" games - depending on "the bidding". The gameplay is similar to the play in bridge, but there is no "dummy hand" and there are two additional rules as mentioned above: there is an obligation to place a higher card in the suit, and if you do not have the suit you have to "ruff". If someone ruffed, and you don't have the suit and a higher trump, but you have a lower trump, then you have to put this trump.

The only exception to the rules above is the "grand betel" (an explanation of which will be later): then there is no obligation to give a higher card or ruff for "defenders", but it is still for the "declarer".

Types of games to be declare

Level 0. "Three passes" (no declarer - notrump),
Level 0. "Betel 3" (do not take more than 3 tricks - notrump),
Level 1. "One" in suit or notrump (you must take a minimum of 6 tricks),
Level 1. "Betel 2" (do not take more than 2 tricks - notrump),
Level 2. "Two" in suit or notrump (you must take a minimum of 7 tricks),
Level 2. "Betel 1" (no more than 1 trick - notrump),
Level 3. "Three" in suit or notrump (you must take a minimum of 8 tricks),
Level 3. "Betel 0" (no tricks are allowed - notrump),
Level 4. "Small Slam" in suit or notrump (you must take a minimum of 9 tricks),
Level 4. "Grand Betel" (no tricks are allowed - notrump and no obligation to put higher card for defenders, but still is for declarer)
Level 5. "Grand Slam" in suit or notrump (all tricks should be taken).

The games are divided into "normal" (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) and "betel-shaped" (2, 4, 6, 8).

Normal games are about taking the declared amount of tricks.

Betel-shaped is a kind of Hearts game - the idea is to take as low tricks as possible. You can take three tricks and no more in a "Betel 3", two tricks and no more in a "Betel 2", no more then one in "Betel 1" and you cannot take anything in a "Betel 0" and "Grand Betel". Grand Betel is that nothing is allowed to take and there is no obligation to put higher card for the "defenders" - but the "declarer" still has that obligation. The game against Betel is to push the declarer as many tricks as possible.

In "betel-shaped", the declarer has the advantage of starting the game, so you can play a honor (but not an ace!) and you can be sure that someone will take it. It doesn't work in the grand betel. From this the conclusion is that in a "Betel 2" you can have as many as 5 honors and 5 spots and have still a chance to win "betel-shaped". You can take 2 tricks for aces and you will be 3 times a leader to a tricks, so you can play 3 other honors (no aces!). But with 6 honors you can win "One" in suit or notrump. With 3 honors and 7 spots you can win "Betel 1", but with 7 honors and 3 spots you can win "Two" in suit. With 1 honor and 9 spots you can win "Betel 0", but with 9 honors and 1 spot you can win "Small Slam". If you have only spots you can win "Grand Betel", but if all your cards are honors you can win "Grand Slam"!

That is why at The Betel you can bid, play and win with any "hand" - especially when you can exchange two cards with "twins".

next part-> The bidding

Grzegorz GPS Świderski

PS. Related notes:

PS2. All parts:

The Betel. Part 1 <- previous note

next note -> The Betel. Part 3.

Tags: gps65, Betel, play, game, cards