6 Player 28 Card Game: The Six-Chair Version

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

When six friends turn up for a game of 28, Kerala tables don't send two people home. They play the six-player 28, sometimes called "28 six chairs". Here is how the usual versions work.

The pack: add the Sixes

Four players use 32 cards. For six players the pack grows to 36 cards by adding the four Sixes. The Sixes have no points, so the total stays 28. Ranking in each suit: J, 9, A, 10, K, Q, 8, 7, 6.

Teams

• Two teams of three, sitting alternately, is the common Kerala setup (the same seating as 40 and 56).
• Some groups play three teams of two, partners opposite; the highest bidder's team then plays against the other four.

Dealing

Six cards each, usually dealt in two rounds of three. Bidding starts once everyone has their cards.

Bidding stages

Many six-player tables use stages, each with its own reward and penalty:

Minimum bids vary: some tables start lower (even 12 in some descriptions). Agree before the first deal.

Play

The same as four-player 28: follow suit, ask for the hidden trump when you can't, highest trump or highest card of the suit led wins.

Six-player 28 vs 40

The 40 card game is the other six-player favourite. Instead of Sixes it adds the 3s (or, at some tables, a second set of Jacks), which carry points, so the total rises to 40 and calls go from 20 to 40.

Cheettukali doesn't have a six-player 28 table yet; for six players, try 40 or 56.

Strategy changes with six players

• You see only six of 36 cards, so bids are more of a team guess. Listen closely to partners' calls.
• With three in a team, each partner sits between two opponents, so signals like throwing a suit matter more.
• Sixes are harmless throw-away cards: keep them for rounds the opponents are winning.

🃏 Try it now: play the 6-player 40 card game free in your browser, no download, no money.

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