In the **29 Card Game**, a standard 4-player game is played in two fixed partnerships (partners sit opposite each other: North-South vs. East-West) using a stripped 32-card deck.
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1. Deck Preparation & Card Values
Remove all cards below 8 from a standard deck, keeping only **Jacks, 9s, Aces, 10s, Kings, Queens, 8s, and 7s**.
The 32 cards carry a total of **28 point value points** in tricks (plus 1 point for winning the final trick, making 29 total points):
* **Jacks (J):** 3 points each *(Highest rank in trick play)*
* **Nines (9):** 2 points each
* **Aces (A):** 1 point each
* **Tens (10):** 1 point each
* **Kings (K), Queens (Q), 8s, 7s:** 0 points each
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2. Step-by-Step Setup Sequence
1. **Determine First Dealer & Shuffle:** Lowest card deals first.
Cut the deck to choose the first dealer (lowest card deals). The dealer shuffles the 32-card deck thoroughly and presents it to the player on their right to cut.
2. **Initial Deal (4 Cards Each):** First phase of dealing.
The dealer deals **4 cards face-down** to each player, starting with the player to their left (Eldest Hand) and proceeding clockwise.
3. **The Bidding Phase:** Determine target score & Trump maker.
Starting with the player to the dealer's left, players bid for the right to choose the Trump suit.
* Bids range from **16 to 28** (or up to 29 in some rulesets).
* The highest bidder wins the bid, establishing their team's scoring target for the round.
4. **Setting the Hidden Trump Card:** Secret selection.
Without showing anyone, the highest bidder selects a single card from their 4-card hand (representing their chosen Trump suit) and places it **face-down** in the center of the table.
5. **Second Deal (4 Cards Each):** Completing 8-card hands.
The dealer deals the remaining **4 cards face-down** to each player in the same clockwise rotation. Every player now holds an **8-card hand**.
6. **Check for Double / Redouble:** Optional stake multiplier.
Before the first card is led, defending players can call **"Double"** to double the game-point stakes. The bidding team can respond with **"Redouble"** to quadruple the stakes.
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3. Immediate Setup Re-Deals (Edge Cases)
Before play begins, a hand must be canceled and re-dealt under two setup conditions:
1. **No-Trump Hand:** If any player is dealt zero trump cards **after** the Trump suit is revealed during play, or holds no point-bearing cards (J, 9, A, 10) in their initial 8-card hand, they may declare a re-deal depending on house agreements.
2. **Four Jacks Deal:** If a single player is dealt all 4 Jacks in their initial 8-card hand, the hand is immediately declared void and passed to the next dealer.