28 Card Game Scoring, Explained

28 card game · 12 Oct 2026 · 2 min read · By Saj, Qrenzy Digital Solutions

28's scoring is designed to punish over-bidding. Every band pays one less for a win than it costs for a loss.

The table

Why losses are bigger

If you make a 15 bid half the time, you average −0.5 per hand. You need to make a low bid more than two times in three to profit. That pushes players towards honest bidding.

Doubles and redoubles

Before the first lead, defenders may double (×2) and bidders may redouble (×4). A failed redoubled Honours costs −12, enough to end a game.

Kerala extras

• Cot: at some tables, a team that wins every round scores double. Opponents may surrender early.
• Thani: the bidder alone promises every round: +4 if made, −5 if not.

Keeping score

Many Kerala tables use spare low cards as markers, the same idea as the red and black Sixes in 29.

Worked examples

Strategy from the numbers

• Low bids need to succeed two times in three to profit; don't over-reach for +1.
• Honours is worth it only with a genuinely strong hand.
• A double from opponents is a warning: they likely hold Jacks.

How scoring shapes the whole game

Because a failed bid always costs more than a made bid earns, the safest strategy over many hands is to bid what your cards honestly support and let the opponents over-reach. Teams that win at 28 are rarely the boldest bidders; they're the ones who fail least often.

The second round adds a twist. A raise to 25 or more earns +3, the biggest reward in normal play, but costs −4 if it fails. It's the right call only when the full eight cards give your team a clear majority of the points.

Scoring FAQ

• Does the margin matter? No. Making 16 with 16 points or with 28 points scores the same.
• Who scores when bidders fail? At most tables the bidders lose the points; some tables give them to the opponents instead.

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