Rules for Kani

Kani is a strategic card game similar to Bridge, Whist, and Hearts. It's a trick-taking game played with a full 52-card deck.

The game is suitable for 3–6 players and usually takes 10–20 minutes per round. You'll need a standard deck and something to keep score with.

The goal is to collect enough tricks across several rounds to reach 52 points — one point per trick. The first player to reach 52 points or more wins the game!

The full deck is dealt to all players, one card at a time. Depending on the number of players, some cards are placed into a discard pile (“the kitty”) on the table:

• 3 players: 4 cards in the kitty (max 17 tricks)
• 4 players: (max 13 tricks)
• 5 players: 2 cards in the kitty (max 11 tricks)
• 6 players: 4 cards in the kitty (max 9 tricks)

Each player sorts their cards by suit and rank and keeps them hidden from others.

The bidding starts with the player to the left of the dealer. Each player can either bid the number of tricks they believe they can take (must be higher than the previous bid), or say “pass.”

If the kitty is used, the winner of the bidding gets it as a bonus trick. Therefore, the maximum bid depends on the number of players:

• 3 players: Max 17 tricks
• 4 players: Max 13 tricks
• 5 players: Max 11 tricks
• 6 players: Max 9 tricks

The highest possible bid is “Kani,” which means the player commits to taking all tricks solo (without a partner).

If a player receives no face cards (K, Q, J, and optionally A), they may request a redeal. If all players pass during the first round of bidding, the cards are redealt.

The highest bidder (called the caller) picks up the kitty, chooses the cards to keep, and places an equal number of cards face down — these form the first trick.

The caller then selects a trump suit (usually the suit in which they have the most and highest cards).

To find a partner, the caller plays a card in the trump suit and asks for a specific card in that suit (often a high card like A, K, Q, or J). Each player then plays a card in turn, and the player who has the requested card becomes the caller’s partner. These two now play as a team.

The player who plays the highest card in this round (or the highest trump) wins the trick and leads the next one.

Play proceeds with the following trick rules:

• You must follow suit if possible.
• If you cannot follow suit, you may play a trump or any other card.
• The highest card in the lead suit wins the trick — unless a trump has been played, in which case the highest trump wins.
• The winner of the trick leads the next one.

The game continues until all cards have been played.

Once all cards have been played, scoring is as follows:

• If the caller and partner take at least as many tricks as they bid, they earn points equal to the bid.
• If they fail to meet their bid, they lose points equal to the bid.
• All other players receive 1 point per trick taken.
• On a “Kani” bid: if the caller takes all tricks alone, they earn 52 points.

The first player to reach 52 points or more wins the game!

Several popular variants of Kani exist:

• Joker Variant: With 5 players, use 3 jokers (with 3 or 6 players, use 2 jokers). A joker wins the trick if played first in a round — otherwise it has no value.
• Grand (No Trump): The caller may choose to play without a trump suit. In this case, the first trick is only used to identify the partner and the suit is irrelevant.
• 2 First on the Table: A two played first in a trick beats everything, including trump.
• Scoring Variants: Some versions give the caller double points compared to the partner. Others give the partner half of the bid value (rounded up).
• Pass Round: If everyone passes, a “pass round” may be played with negative points for each trick taken.

Here are some helpful tips for succeeding at Kani:

• Choose your trump suit based on where you have the most and strongest cards.
• Pay attention to which high cards have been played.
• Work well with your partner when you’re on the same team.
• Think carefully before bidding — overconfidence can cost you!
• If you’re unsure, it’s often better to pass than to bid too high.
• Try to remember what your opponents play to anticipate their strategy.