Open Blot

The deal

• Two players, a 32-card deck. The dealer gives 4 closed cards to the opponent, 4 to themselves, 4 more to the opponent and 4 more to themselves — 8 closed cards each.
• Then the dealer puts 4 open cards for the opponent — each on top of one of their closed cards.

Example: the opponent has 8 closed cards; on four of them the 10 J 7 K are now open.

Trump — four open cards at a time

You may choose any suit or no trump; there is no number. The order:

1. the dealer opens 4 cards for the opponent (on their closed cards) — the opponent chooses or says “pass”;
2. “pass” — the dealer opens 4 cards for themselves — chooses or says “pass”;
3. “pass” — 4 more cards for the opponent (on the remaining closed cards) — chooses or says “pass”;
4. “pass” — the dealer opens 4 more for themselves and must choose.

As soon as someone chooses, all remaining cards are opened and put on the closed ones: each player has 8 stacks, “closed + open”.

Example: the opponent sees 7 8 9 10 — “pass”; the dealer opens A K Q 7 for themselves — “trump ”; right away 4 more cards open for the opponent and 4 more for the dealer.

Play

• The player who didn’t deal leads first; players deal in turn. It doesn’t matter who chose trump.
• You play open cards. The lower card opens only after the trick has been taken.
• Following suit, trumping and overtrumping — as in 1 on 1.

Example: you play the A from a stack — the opponent answers without seeing what is under it; the trick is taken — the card under the A opens.

Combinations

• A combination is called only on your turn, together with your card.
• A combination you have already called can’t be called again.
• A combination grows as new cards open — and you may call it again, now bigger. Every new combination must have at least one new card. Every step counts.
• Missed it and played? The opponent may play so that your combination is broken, and then it can’t be called.
• Blot and reblot — as in 1 on 1: the king and queen of trumps in one player’s cards; the game says “blot” and “reblot” itself.

Example: tierce 9 10 J (20) → the Q opens — fifty → the K opens — hundred: we write 20 + 50 + 100 = 170.

Scoring

• As in 1 on 1: whoever chose trump must take more than the opponent. A tie counts as made.
• No contra. Capot — 21 and your own combinations.
• The game is played to 51, 101 or 151.

In the Blot app

Play real people, or a bot in Training. Open Blot has its own rating.