Shelem is one of the most popular card games among Iranians, typically played by four players in two teams. Players must not only master playing cards but also estimate the strength of their hand and their partner's hand during the bidding phase—called the auction—where they declare the score they believe they can achieve.
Shelem shares similarities with Hokm. Both games feature a trump suit, require players to follow suit, and reward winning tricks. However, the key difference lies in the scoring system and the auction phase. In Shelem, each trick and certain specific cards carry point values. The team that wins the auction must reach at least the score they declared; otherwise, they receive negative points.
Players and Teams
Shelem is played with four players divided into two teams of two. Teammates sit facing each other: players 1 and 3 form one team, players 2 and 4 form the other. Players may not show their cards or speak directly about them. Communication happens only through the cards played and tactical decisions.
Objective
Each team aims to collect points by winning tricks and capturing valuable cards. At the start of each round, players participate in the auction. The highest bidder wins the auction, chooses the trump suit, and their team must achieve at least the declared score. If they succeed, they keep their actual score. If they fall short, they receive negative points equal to their bid.
Card Rankings
In Shelem without jokers, card strength from highest to lowest is: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. If a suit is designated as trump, all cards of that suit beat cards of other suits.
Scoring Cards
Not all cards have equal value. In jokerless Shelem, the total points per round is 165:
- Four Aces: 40 points total
- Four 10s: 40 points total
- Four 5s: 20 points total
- Thirteen tricks: 65 points total
Shelem Without Jokers
A standard 52-card deck is used. Each player receives 12 cards, and 4 cards remain face-down in the center (the kitty). The auction winner picks up these 4 cards, adds them to their hand, then discards 4 cards of their choice to return to 12 cards. The discarded cards count toward the winning team's score.
Auction Rules
The first player must bid and cannot pass at the start. Subsequent players may bid higher or pass. Anyone who passes cannot re-enter. The auction continues until one player remains—the winner.
First Trick
The auction winner must start the first trick with a trump suit card. This rule only applies to the first trick of the round.
Shelem With Jokers
Two jokers are added to create a 54-card deck. Each player gets 12 cards, and 6 cards remain in the kitty. The auction winner picks up 6 cards and discards 6. Key differences from the jokerless version:
- Two powerful joker cards
- Total round points increase from 165 to 200
- The first player may pass in the auction
- Jokers cannot be used to start the first trick
Joker Cards
Red Joker: The strongest card in the game. Beats all regular cards and the Black Joker. Worth 20 points.
Black Joker: The second strongest card. Beats all regular cards but loses to the Red Joker. Worth 15 points.
Auction With Jokers
Unlike the jokerless version, the first player can pass. If the first three players all pass without anyone bidding, the cards are collected and reshuffled—the fourth player is not forced to play with a weak hand.
Auction Winner Duties (Joker Version)
- Pick up the 6 face-down cards from the kitty
- Add them to the hand and evaluate
- Discard 6 unwanted cards
- Choose one of the four suits as trump
- Lead the first trick
The only difference from the jokerless version is the number of cards picked and discarded — 6 cards instead of 4.
Playing Tricks
Players must follow the led suit. If a player doesn't have the led suit, they may play a trump card (cut), discard another suit, or (with jokers) play a joker. The highest card of the led suit wins unless trump or jokers are played. The trick winner leads the next trick.
Scoring at Round End
- Each Ace: 10 points
- Each 10: 10 points
- Each 5: 5 points
- Each trick won: 5 points
- Red Joker (with jokers): 20 points
- Black Joker (with jokers): 15 points
What is a Slam?
A slam occurs when one team captures all available points in a round and the opposing team scores nothing. In jokerless Shelem, this means taking all 165 points. With jokers, it means taking all 200 points.
Bidding Strategy
The auction is one of the most crucial parts of Shelem. Consider these factors when evaluating your hand:
- Number of potential trump cards
- High cards (Aces, Kings, etc.)
- Scoring cards (Aces, 10s, 5s)
- Ability to void a suit (discard all cards of a weak suit)
- Joker possession (in the joker version)
Practical Tips
- Don't waste scoring cards on tricks you're unlikely to win
- Watch your partner's play for information about their hand
- Manage your trumps carefully
- Save jokers for high-value tricks
- If you hold both jokers, save the Red Joker for the most critical trick
- Remember which important cards have been played
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Bidding too high in the auction
- Forgetting to follow suit
- Using jokers too early
- Discarding the wrong cards as the auction winner
- Ignoring the point value of cards
Key Terminology
- Auction: The bidding phase where players declare their target score
- Auction Winner: The player who placed the highest bid
- Trump: The suit that beats all others
- Pass: Withdrawing from the auction
- Fall: When the auction-winning team fails to reach their declared score
- Cut: Playing trump when void in the led suit
- Slam: Winning all points in a round
- Trick: The set of cards played by all four players in one turn
Summary
Shelem is a team-based, competitive, and strategic card game where success depends not just on having good cards but on accurate hand evaluation, smart bidding, proper trump selection, and the ability to read opponents and your partner. In the jokerless version, the first player must open the auction. In the joker version, the first player may pass, and if all three first players pass, the hand is redealt. In both versions, the auction winner must lead the first trick with a trump card. Understanding card values, managing trumps, using jokers wisely, and paying attention to scoring cards are the keys to success. For a step-by-step learning path, check out the Shelem Roadmap.
