29 Card Game Rules (Twenty Nine)
29 is a four-player trump card game played in teams of two, popular across India and Bangladesh. It is a close cousin of 28 and of the Kerala 40 card game, with a trump suit that stays hidden until someone needs it.
🃏 Play 29 online free: open the 29 card game. Our table bids from 16, has double and redouble, and shows the Pair automatically.
Cards and points
32 cards: 7 to Ace in each suit. In every suit the order is J, 9, A, 10, K, Q, 8, 7.
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Jack | 3 |
| 9 | 2 |
| Ace | 1 |
| 10 | 1 |
| K, Q, 8, 7 | 0 |
| Total | 28 (29 with a last-round point) |
Dealing
Each player gets four cards first. After bidding, four more each, for eight in total.
Bidding
- Bids run from 15 or 16 up to 28, depending on the table (Cheettukali uses 16).
- Bidding goes round until everyone else has passed. The first bidder, on the dealer's right, must bid.
Trump
- The highest bidder picks the trump suit and places a card of that suit face down.
- A player who cannot follow suit may ask for the trump to be shown. Until then only the bidder knows it. At Cheettukali, if you ask and hold a trump, you must cut with it.
- The bidder cannot lead the trump suit before it is shown, unless they have nothing else.
- The bidder also cannot throw a trump-suit card from hand while the trump is hidden. If only trump-suit cards are left, the Thuruppu is shown.
Pair (Royals)
Holding the King and Queen of trumps, a side may declare them after the trump is known and after winning a round. The bidders' target drops by 4 (to no less than 15) if they hold it, or rises by 4 (to no more than 28) if the defenders do.
Double and redouble
Before the first lead the defenders may double; the bidders may then redouble. A doubled game is worth 2 game points and a redoubled one 4, won or lost.
Scoring
If the bidding side reaches its bid, it gains one game point; if not, it loses one. Many players track this with the red and black Sixes. Reaching +6 wins the game and −6 loses it.
Single hand
A player with a very strong hand may play alone, with no trump and the partner sitting out, promising to win all eight rounds. It scores 3 game points either way. On Cheettukali you are offered a Single hand when you hold 5 or more top cards.
Rules vary between families and regions. These are the common standard rules.
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FAQ
Why is it called 29?
The card points add up to 28. Some players count one extra point for the last round, which makes 29. Most players today don't count it, but the name stayed.
How many players play 29?
Four players in two fixed teams, partners sitting opposite each other.
What is the highest card in 29?
The Jack, then 9, Ace, 10, King, Queen, 8 and 7.
What is the Pair (Royals) in 29?
The King and Queen of trumps in one hand. Declared after the trump is known and after your side wins a round, it lowers your target by 4 if you are the bidders, or raises the bidders' target by 4 if you are defending.
Can I play 29 online on Cheettukali?
Yes. Open the 29 card game page and play free against computer players, with the hidden trump, the Pair and +6/−6 scoring.