Hokm is one of the most popular card games among Iranians. It is typically played with four players in two teams of two. Teammates sit facing each other and must cooperate to win tricks without showing their cards or speaking directly about their hands.
Hokm is a trick-taking game. Each turn, every player plays one card, and among the four cards on the table, one wins. The player who played the winning card collects that trick for their team and leads the next one. The goal in each round is to win at least seven out of thirteen tricks.
Key Terminology
- Hakem: The player who chooses the trump suit
- Trump (Hokm): The suit chosen by the Hakem; all cards of this suit beat cards of other suits
- Trick (Dast): The set of four cards played in one turn
- Leading suit: The suit of the first card played in a trick
- Cutting (Boridan): Playing trump when void in the leading suit
- Discarding (Rad dadan): Playing a low card from another suit when void in the leading suit
- Kot: Winning seven consecutive tricks without the opponent winning any
- Hakem-Koti: Kot inflicted on the Hakem's team by the opposing team
Cards and Ranking
Hokm uses a standard 52-card deck with no jokers. The four suits are hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs, each with 13 cards.
Card ranking from highest to lowest: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
Even the lowest trump card (2) beats the highest non-trump card (Ace) when the player is allowed to play trump.
Teams and Determining the Hakem
Players are divided into two teams of two. Partners sit opposite each other (players 1 & 3 vs. players 2 & 4). In one common method, cards are dealt face-up until two Aces appear. The player receiving the first Ace becomes Hakem, the second Ace is their partner, and the others form the opposing team.
Dealing and Trump Selection
Cards are dealt in stages: first 5 cards to each player. The Hakem chooses trump based on these 5 cards alone. Then the remaining cards (4 + 4) are dealt so each player has 13 cards.
Choosing the Best Trump
- Count: More cards of one suit is generally better
- Strength: Ace and King of a suit are better than several weak cards
- Combination: The best is having multiple strong cards of one suit
- Risk: Choosing a suit where you have only one card is very risky
Play and Following Suit
The Hakem leads the first trick. Players must follow suit if they have cards of the led suit—even if they hold trump. A player void in the led suit may play trump (cut) or discard another suit.
Determining the Trick Winner
If no trump is played, the highest card of the led suit wins. If trump is played, the highest trump wins. The trick winner collects the cards and leads the next trick.
Scoring
The first team to win 7 tricks wins the round. Common scoring:
- Normal win: 1 point (winner has 7 tricks, opponent has at least 1)
- Kot: 2 points (winner takes all 7 first tricks, opponent gets none)
- Hakem-Koti: 3 points (the opposing team shuts out the Hakem's team)
Matches are typically played to 7 points. If the Hakem's team wins, the Hakem stays for the next round; otherwise, the turn passes to the next player.
Special Hokm Rules: Sars, Nars, and Tak Nars
In advanced versions of Hokm, the Hakem may choose a special rule type instead of picking a regular trump suit. These modes have no trump suit and cutting is not allowed. They are commonly known as "Special Hokms."
Sars
In Sars mode, there is no trump suit and cutting is not allowed. The game plays like regular Hokm except no suit is chosen as trump. Card values follow the standard order: Ace > King > Queen > Jack > 10 > 9 > 8 > 7 > 6 > 5 > 4 > 3 > 2.
Nars
In Nars mode, all card values are reversed. 2 of each suit is the highest card, descending down to Ace which is the weakest. The card order in Nars is: 2 > 3 > 4 > 5 > 6 > 7 > 8 > 9 > 10 > Jack > Queen > King > Ace.
Tak Nars
In Tak Nars mode, card values are also reversed but with a twist: Ace is the most valuable card, followed by 2, 3, and so on, with King being the weakest. The card order in Tak Nars is: Ace > 2 > 3 > 4 > 5 > 6 > 7 > 8 > 9 > 10 > Jack > Queen > King.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Choosing trump based on a single Ace
- Forgetting to follow suit
- Cutting your own partner's winning trick
- Drawing trump without a plan
- Playing Aces at the wrong time (they might get trumped)
- Ignoring which players are void in which suits
- Talking about cards during play
Summary
Hokm is one of the most beloved team card games in Iranian culture. Basic rules can be learned quickly, but mastering the game requires practice, memory, probability assessment, and team coordination. Correct trump selection, card counting, recognizing voids, managing Aces, and tactics like trump drawing all play crucial roles.
The special Hokm rules — Sars, Nars, and Tak Nars — add exciting variety to the game. Professional players should understand each mode's rules to make the best decisions in every situation.
