Learn Hokm in a few minutes
Hokm is a classic Iranian four-player, two-against-two trick-taking card game — a blend of wits, memory, and teamwork. This page walks you through everything, from zero to calling trump, with visuals at every step.
Hokm in 4 numbers
Four suits and a power order
A full 52-card deck — four suits, 13 cards each.
Within every suit, the Ace (A) is highest and the 2 is lowest. The order from the top: Ace, King (K), Queen (Q), Jack (J), then 10 down to 2.
You and your partner, face to face
Four players sit around the table; each is partnered with the player opposite. The two players beside you are your opponents.
The tricks you and your partner win are pooled together — so teamwork and coordination matter more than personal wins.
One player calls the trump
At the start of each round, one player becomes the Hakem (the ruler) — by default the player next to the dealer, or, in the traditional ritual, the first to be dealt an Ace. The Hakem sees only their first 5 cards, then declares the trump suit (the hokm).
Because this hand is strong in spades (the Ace, King and one more), the Hakem calls spades. The trump suit then beats every other suit. After trump is declared, the rest of the deck is dealt out until each player holds 13 cards.
Each round is one trick
In every trick all four players lay one card; whoever wins the trick leads the next one.
The leader plays a card to the table. Its suit becomes the led suit for this trick.
If you hold the led suit, you must follow it (play a card of that suit).
If you don't have the led suit, you may play anything — play a trump card, or discard a low one. You are never forced to trump.
Winner: the highest trump played. If no one trumped, the highest card of the led suit wins.
The led suit was hearts (♥). The 2nd player took the lead with the Ace of hearts, but the 3rd player had no hearts and discarded a diamond (loses). The 4th player also had no hearts and played a 2 of spades — since spades is trump, even the lowest trump beats the Ace of hearts. A trump card always beats any non-trump card.
Winning a round and the kot
A team wins a round by taking 7 of the 13 tricks. The points depend on the result:
The first team to reach 7 points wins the whole match (some tables let you change this target). As for who becomes the Hakem next round: if the Hakem's team wins the round, the same player stays Hakem; otherwise the role passes one seat clockwise.
Get good faster
Pick trump wisely. Call the suit where you hold the most — and the strongest — cards.
Don't waste trumps. Save them for important tricks or to cut an opponent's suit.
Watch your partner. If they already hold the winning card, you don't need to spend a good one.
Count the cards. Keep track of which Aces and trumps are still left in play.
Now you know the rules
The best way to learn is to play. Let's get you to a table.
Start playing