How to Play König-Rufen
Welcome to a friendly guide for König-Rufen, a classic Austrian trick-taking game with a hidden partner. If you like partnership games with a secret twist, you’ll have fun learning this one — and you can find more card guides at Playmore.
Quick facts
| Game | Typical players | Deck | Family |
|---|---|---|---|
| König-Rufen | 4 | 32 (reduced from a normal 52-card deck) | Austrian call-a-king partnership |
What you are trying to do
König-Rufen pits one declaring team against the other two players. The declarer names a king to call a hidden partner. Together they try to win enough tricks under the declared contract. Opponents try to stop them. Exact targets and scoring vary by regional rules, so check the authoritative Pagat entry or your house rules for scoring details.
What you need and how to set up
You need a 32-card deck made from a normal 52-card deck by removing low cards (common reductions leave A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7 in each suit). Sit around a table with four players. Choose a dealer at random. Agree before you start which regional rule set you will use for card ranking, trump rules, and scoring. The official Pagat entry covers common variations.
How to play
- Deal the cards. Shuffle and deal so each player gets the agreed hand size. Dealing patterns can vary by version.
- Bidding / calling phase. One player becomes declarer by choosing a contract and calling a king from a suit. The player who holds the called king becomes the hidden partner for that round. If the declarer holds the chosen king, many rules have a special treatment — check your chosen rules.
- Declare trumps. The declarer usually names the trump suit for the hand. How trumps are chosen can depend on the variant you play.
- Play tricks. The declarer leads a trick, or play begins according to your local rules. Players follow suit if they can. Tricks are won according to the version’s card ranking and trump rules. The hidden partner reveals themselves by playing the called king when it is safe or required.
- Continue until all tricks are played. Keep the tricks you win in piles so you can count points later.
- Score the round. Check the variant rules for how many points are needed to win the contract and how scoring is recorded.
How a round or game ends
A round ends after all tricks are played and both sides count their points for that deal. The overall game usually ends when a team reaches a target score or a set number of rounds is complete. Exact end conditions and score values are version-dependent, so agree on them before you start.
Beginner tips
- Watch for the called king. That card tells you who the hidden partner is as soon as it’s played.
- Count trumps and high cards. Knowing how many trumps have been played helps you judge whether to push for tricks.
- Play conservatively as declarer. Calling a king means you rely on a partner whose identity is hidden. Avoid giving away the partner too early.
- Defend together. If you suspect who the partner is, work to lead suits that force the partner to reveal or play weakly.
- Agree on rules first. Small regional differences change scoring and some card powers. Pick a reference and stick to it.
FAQ
How many cards are in the deck?
König-Rufen uses a 32-card deck made from a standard 52-card deck by removing the lowest cards. Do not buy a special deck; just remove the extras from a normal deck.
How do I find my hidden partner?
Your partner is the player who holds the king you called. They stay hidden until they play that king. Pay attention to play to spot them sooner.
Where can I find the exact rules and scoring?
There are regional variations. For an authoritative reference, check the König-Rufen entry on Pagat and agree with your group which version you will use before playing.