Levant · Trick-taking · Solo or partners
Trix: rules and how to play
تركس
Trix is the Levant's game of kingdoms. Over four kingdoms of five deals, each player chooses the contracts in their own kingdom: four penalty games where you dodge cards, and Trix itself, a race to empty your hand. It is played every player for themselves, or in teams as Trix Partners.
At a glance
- Players
- 4, each for themselves (or in partners)
- Deck
- 52 cards, ace high
- Goal
- Highest score after 20 deals
- A game
- Four kingdoms of five deals
01
How to play in one minute
- Deal 13 cards each. The owner of the kingdom chooses the contract and leads.
- Every kingdom has five contracts, each played once: King of Hearts, Queens, Diamonds, Collections and Trix.
- In the four penalty contracts, follow suit and avoid taking the penalty cards. There is no trump.
- In Trix, start a suit with its jack and build up or down one card at a time. Pass if you can't play.
- After four kingdoms, 20 deals in all, the highest score wins.
02
The rules
Kingdoms and contracts
Each player owns one kingdom of five deals. In your kingdom you choose the contract for every deal, using each of the five contracts exactly once, and you lead first.
The penalty contracts
Follow suit if you can, otherwise play any card. The highest card of the suit led takes the trick and leads next.
- King of Hearts: -75 for whoever takes it, and the deal ends with that trick. Don't lead hearts unless you only have hearts.
- Queens: -25 for each queen you take. The deal ends when the fourth queen falls.
- Diamonds: -10 for each diamond you take.
- Collections: -15 for each trick you take. All 13 tricks are played.
Trix
Start a suit with its jack, then build down to the two or up to the ace, one card at a time. Play a card if you can, otherwise pass. The first player out scores 200, then 150, 100 and 50.
Doubling
After King or Queens is chosen, a player holding the King of Hearts or a queen may double it by showing it. If another player then takes that card, they lose double (King -150, queen -50) and the doubler gains the card's value (King +75, queen +25).
In Queens you take two queens (-50); later, in Trix, you go out second (+150).
03
Tips from the table
- Call Trix when your hand is full of jacks, and save Collections for a hand of low cards.
- Holding the King of Hearts? Empty a short suit fast: once you can't follow, the King goes onto someone else's trick.
- Double a queen only when you have low cards in that suit to protect it.
- In Trix, play the cards that open runs for you and hold back the ones that would open runs for others.
Qahwa · قهوة
Play it in Qahwa
Switch the house rules before you deal:
- The King of Hearts is forced when you can't follow suit
- Doubling in King and Queens
- Trix Partners: two teams share one score
04
Questions
What are the five contracts in Trix?
King of Hearts, Queens, Diamonds, Collections and Trix. The first four are penalty games where every card or trick you take costs points; Trix is the only contract that scores positive points.
Can you play Trix with partners?
Yes. Trix Partners seats two teams across the table with one shared score. Qahwa has both versions.
How long is a game of Trix?
Four kingdoms of five deals each: 20 deals in all, one kingdom per player.
