40 Card Game Tips: Win More at Thuruppu 40
With six players and calling that keeps going until nobody will call over, the 40 card game is about reading signals and timing. These tips follow the house rules used on Cheettukali's 40 table.
1. Count the 3s as Jacks
There are eight top cards in 40: four Jacks and four 3s, all worth 3 points. When two of them meet in a round, the one played first wins, so leading a 3 or Jack early is safer than following with one.
2. Use the 21 signal
Calling exactly 21 tells your partners you hold three Jacks (counting 3s). If your partner calls 21 and you have a long suit or a Jack of your own, consider Honours. If you have nothing, pass and let the 21 stand.
3. Only one chance to call
Calling goes round only once, one turn each, and your partners are skipped while you hold the call, so don't count on them to raise you. Remember: if your teammate holds the call, you may only call Honours or pass, and that turn comes after the other team has had its say.
4. Honours means the lead is yours
With Honours (30+) the caller may lead trump from the start. Use it: draw out the opponents' trumps early, then cash your side-suit winners.
5. Watch for Jodi
On a 20–29 call, if your team has taken every round and you hold the remaining winners, call Jodi before round 5. It turns a 1-coolie win into a 3-coolie win.
6. Ask "Jodi?" only when the callers look unstoppable
If the callers are clearly going to win but you hope to take one round, asking Jodi forces them to commit. If they say No Jodi, the hand ends there with a normal win. If they say Jodi, they must now win every round: take just one and they lose 4 coolies instead of winning.
7. Throw a single card to set up a vettu
When your partner is winning a round and you can't follow, throw a single card of another suit. Later, you can cut that suit.
8. Manage the coolies
Coolies work as a return system, so a win first pays back what you hold. When your team is close to 7, avoid risky Honours calls: losing one costs 4 and can hand you the flag.
FAQ
What does calling 21 mean in the 40 card game?
It is a signal that you hold three Jacks, with the 3s counted as Jacks. Partners can then call Honours if their own hand helps.
When should I call Jodi in 40?
On a 20–29 call, in rounds 1 to 4, when your team has won every round so far and you are confident of winning the rest.