How to play Hokm

At the beginning of each hand, one of the players becomes Hakem. Hakem literally means "ruler, governor" and in card game jargon, it refers to a player having certain privileges in the game. Hakem declares what suit will be trump and leads to the first trick of the round.

Determination of Hakem and Dealer

One of the players flips one card to each player anticlockwise. The first player to take an Ace becomes Hakem. The player to the left of Hakem, who is from the opposite team, becomes dealer. Opposite players are partners. Note that BiaHokm does this step automatically and randomly.

Trump

Hakem must choose and declare the trump suit on the basis of his own first 5 cards.

Play

Hakem leads to the first trick. Each player in turn must follow suit. If a player holds no cards of the suit led, that player may play any card (including any trump card). The highest card in the trump suit always wins the trick. If no trump cards are played, the trick goes to the highest card of the suit led. The winner of a trick leads to the next.

Scoring

The first team to take 7 tricks wins the hand and scores 1 point.

If the Hakem's team wins the hand by taking the first 7 tricks, the other team having taken none, they win 2 points instead of 1. If the Hakem's opponents win by taking the first 7 tricks, they win 3 points instead of 1.

The first team to reach 7 points wins the game.

If the Hakem's team won the hand, the Hakem retains the rank, and the same dealer deals again. If the other team wins, the turn to deal passes to the right: the previous Hakem deals and the player to his right becomes Hakem for the following hand.