Rules of the online card game RIKKEN

RIKKEN is a strategic card game played with 4 players. The goal is to win tricks or avoid them, depending on the chosen game type. Below you will find the full rules and all variants.

Cards and values:

Rikken is played with a standard 52-card deck.
Cards have their usual ranks: 2 through 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace.
In trump games, trump cards always outrank other suits.

Preparation

• Each player receives 13 cards.
• The player with the highest bid determines the game type and, if applicable, the trump suit.

Gameplay

• After the deal, players take turns bidding or passing.
• If all players pass, the cards are redealt.
• The highest bid determines the game type.
• The player to the dealer's left leads the first trick.
• Players must follow suit if they can.
• If a player cannot follow suit, they may play another suit. In trump games they may play trump.
• The highest card of the led suit wins the trick, unless trump is played. Then the highest trump wins.
• The winner of the trick leads the next one.

Bids

• Rik 8 / 9 / 10 (better): When playing this variant, you choose a trump suit and ask for an Ace. Whoever holds that Ace becomes your partner. The partner remains secret until the Ace is played. “Better” means Hearts is trump.
• Malleur: If you have 3 or 4 Aces in your hand, you are required to play. Your partner is the missing Ace. If you have all 4 Aces, you choose a King as partner. The trump suit is determined by the partner.
• Solo 7 / 8 / 9 (better): The player plays without a partner and must win at least the number of tricks bid. The player chooses the trump suit.
• Misère or piek: The player plays alone and tries to avoid taking any tricks. There is no trump suit.
• Misère with 1 or 2 tricks: The player must take exactly 1 or 2 tricks. No more, no less. There is no trump suit.

Scoring

• The player who plays the game (the bidder) scores points if they achieve their goal.
• If the bid is not achieved, the player pays the agreed amount.
• For each extra or missing trick, an additional amount applies (if applicable).
• Other players can also earn points by winning tricks (for example in partner games).

Payouts per game type

The amounts below apply for winning or losing a game type. When you win, you receive the amount under win. When you lose, you pay this amount. For each extra or missing trick, the amount under extra applies.

Game type	Win	Extra (per trick)	Set
Rik 8 (better)	€0.10	€0.05	1
8 solo (better)	€0.30	€0.05	1
9 solo (better)	€0.40	€0.05	1
Misère with trick	€0.35	-	1
Misère	€0.40	-	1
Rik 9 (better)	€0.15	€0.05	2
7 solo (better)	€0.20	€0.05	2
Rik 10 (better)	€0.20	€0.05	3
Misère with 2 tricks	€0.25	-	3
Malleur	€0.10	€0.05	-

Variants and settings

• The number of rounds can be set to a fixed number or unlimited.
• You can choose whether extra bids are allowed.
• The option “Dealer must play” determines whether the dealer is required to bid if all others pass.