Mendikot: Band Hukum vs Cut Hukum
"Hukum" is the trump. Mendikot players argue happily about how it should be chosen. The two main methods:
Cut hukum (open trump)
Play starts with no trump. The first player who can't follow suit plays any card, and that card's suit becomes trump for the rest of the hand. It's simple and fast, and it's what Cheettukali uses.
Strategy: if you're likely to be the first to cut, plan which suit you'd like as trump. If an opponent cuts first, their long suit becomes trump, which can be dangerous.
Band hukum (closed trump)
A chosen player (often the one to the dealer's right) picks a card from their hand and places it face down. Its suit is trump but stays secret until someone can't follow suit and asks for it to be revealed.
Strategy: similar to the hidden trump in 28 and 29: the chooser knows something the others don't.
Which is better?
Cut hukum is quicker to learn; band hukum feels closer to Kerala's 28 and Thuruppu. Both lead to the same goal: catch the tens.
🃏 Try it now: play Mendikot free in your browser, no download, no money.
FAQ
What is cut hukum in Mendikot?
The first player unable to follow suit sets the trump with the card they play.
What is band hukum?
A closed trump: one player places a card face down, and its suit is trump once revealed.