How to Play Batak
Batak with bidding is a trick-taking card game for four players using a standard 52-card deck. In every deal the highest bidder picks trumps and tries to take at least as many tricks as they bid, while the others collect their own tricks and try to make them fail. After the last deal, the highest score wins.
The goal of the game
Every deal starts with an auction: each player says how many tricks they believe they can take. The highest bidder wins the bid, chooses trumps and must take at least that many tricks. Make it and you score; fall short and you go down and lose points equal to your bid.
The other three players are never idle: every trick they take scores, and a failed bidder helps them. Batak rewards both playing your own cards well and spoiling the bidder’s plan, so memory and card counting matter. On miniOkey there are no partnerships — everyone plays for their own score.
Cards and dealing
Batak uses 52 cards: spades (♠), hearts (♥), diamonds (♦) and clubs (♣), 13 cards each, no jokers. The deck is shuffled and every player gets 13 cards; the whole deck is dealt.
The dealer moves to the next player each deal. Play and bidding go counter-clockwise: the player to the dealer’s right bids first. On miniOkey the game deals for you and sorts your cards by suit and rank.
Card ranking (high to low): A (Ace) › K (King) › Q (Queen) › J (Jack) › 10 › 9 › 8 › 7 › 6 › 5 › 4 › 3 › 2
How to play Batak step by step
- 1
The cards are dealt
Everyone gets 13 cards. Look at your hand, find your strong suit and estimate how many tricks you can take.
- 2
Bidding
Starting with the player to the dealer’s right, everyone bids a number or passes. The first bid is at least 5, every new bid must be higher, and 13 is the maximum.
- 3
The bid is settled
A player who passes cannot bid again in that deal. When the other three have passed, the highest bidder wins. If everyone passes, the player to the dealer’s right plays a bid of 4.
- 4
Trumps are chosen
The winning bidder names one of the four suits as trumps. Trumps are announced to the table and stay the same for the whole deal.
- 5
The first card is led
The bidder leads the first card. Trumps are not broken yet, so they cannot lead a trump while holding another suit.
- 6
Tricks are played
Everyone plays one card in turn. You must follow suit; if you cannot, you must play a trump. After four cards the highest trump, or the highest card of the led suit, wins and that player leads next.
- 7
Scores are written
After 13 tricks the tricks are counted. A successful bidder scores the tricks taken, a failed bidder loses the bid; the others score for every trick they took.
Key rules and terms
What is the bid?
The bid is your promise of how many tricks you will take this deal. You can bid from 5 to 13, and every bid must be higher than the current highest — repeating the same number is not allowed.
If you pass, you are out of the bidding for that deal. A bid of 13 ends the auction at once because nobody can go higher. On miniOkey every bid, every pass and the winning bid are written to the table chat, so you can follow the game from the start.
What are trumps?
Trumps are the suit chosen by the winning bidder; for that deal they beat every other suit. Even the smallest trump beats an Ace of another suit, and between two trumps the higher one wins.
Choosing the suit in which you hold the most and the strongest cards is usually the right call. If your time runs out, the game picks your longest suit as trumps.
Following suit and beating the highest card
If you hold a card of the led suit, you must play that suit. If you can beat the highest card of that suit on the table, you must play a higher one; otherwise any card of that suit will do.
If someone has already trumped the trick, the obligation to beat the led suit falls away, but you still have to follow suit. On miniOkey the cards you cannot play are dimmed.
10 of spades on the table, you hold the 3 and the King of spades: play the King.
You must trump
If you cannot follow suit but hold trumps, you must play a trump — this is called trumping. If a trump is already on the table and you can beat it, play a higher one. With neither the led suit nor trumps you may play any card, but it cannot win the trick.
The Ace of diamonds was led and you have no diamonds: you must play the 3 of hearts — and you win.
8 of hearts on the table, you hold the 3 and the Jack of hearts: beat it with the Jack.
No leading trumps until they are broken
Until the first trump has been played, nobody may lead a trick with a trump. Once a player trumps a trick, trumps are broken and may be led. A player holding only trumps may lead one even before that.
This rule is on by default. Switch off “trumps must be broken” when creating a table and trumps may be led from the first trick.
Who wins the trick?
A trick is complete after four cards. If there is a trump on the table, the highest trump wins; otherwise the highest card of the led suit. Cards of other suits can never win, however high they are. The winner leads the next trick.
Scoring: making the bid or going down
After every deal the tricks are counted and the points written. On miniOkey it is all automatic: the end-of-deal table shows the bidder, trumps, the tricks taken and the points.
The bidder
| Makes the bid (as many tricks or more) | tricks × 10 |
| Fails the bid (goes down) | bid × −10 |
The other players
| Each trick taken | +10 |
| No tricks at all | −50 |
Example deal
| Zeynep — bid 7, took 8 (made it) | +80 |
| Ahmet — took 3 tricks | +30 |
| Mehmet — took 2 tricks | +20 |
| Ayşe — no tricks | −50 |
End of the match and gold
The table creator picks 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11 deals (5 by default). After the last deal the highest total wins, and tied players share the place. Every member puts the table stake in: first place receives three times the stake minus a 5% site fee, second place gets the entry back. Tied players split the prizes of the places they share.
Strategy Tips
- Bid by counting the tricks you are sure of: Aces and a long trump suit are the safest. Overbidding turns a good hand into minus points.
- Even without the bid every trick scores, but taking none costs 50 points — try to win at least one.
- Keep track of which trumps and high cards have been played. Knowing what is left makes the last tricks much easier.
- As the bidder, draw trumps early to reduce your opponents’ chances to trump; as an opponent, lead the bidder’s weak suit.
- If you hold a single card of a suit, get rid of it early — then you can trump when that suit is led.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players does Batak need?
Batak with bidding is played by four players. The miniOkey version is individual: everyone plays for their own score and there are no partners. If the table is not full you can add bots to the empty seats and start right away without waiting for other people.
What is the minimum bid?
The first bid must be at least 5 and no bid can exceed 13. Every new bid must be higher than the current highest. If everyone passes, nobody wins an auction: the player to the dealer’s right must play a bid of 4 and chooses trumps.
Can I lead a trump before trumps are broken?
No. Until the first trump has been played you cannot lead a trick with a trump, unless you hold nothing but trumps. The table creator can switch this rule off, in which case trumps may be led from the very first trick.
Can I play another suit while holding the led suit?
No. If you have a card of the led suit you must play it, and you must beat the highest card of that suit if you can. Without the led suit you must play a trump. miniOkey dims the cards you cannot play and never accepts an illegal move.
How many points do I lose if I fail my bid?
If the bidder takes fewer tricks than they bid, they go down and lose ten times their bid. Bidding 7 and taking 6 tricks costs 70 points. Taking more tricks than the bid is fine: every trick then scores 10 points.
What happens if a player takes no tricks?
A player who did not win the bid and takes no tricks in a deal loses 50 points. That is why it pays to fight for at least one trick even with a weak hand. A bidder with no tricks simply goes down by the amount of the bid.
How many deals is a Batak match?
The table creator chooses 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11 deals, with 5 as the default. Each deal has 13 tricks and the points are added up. After the last deal the player with the most points wins the match, and tied players share first place.
What happens if my time runs out?
Each turn lasts 30 seconds, with one extra 30 seconds if needed. If that runs out as well, you pass in the bidding, your longest suit becomes trumps, or your lowest legal card is played. The table never has to wait for anyone.
Know the rules now? Play Batak for free. We also have Okey and 101: read How to Play Okey and How to Play 101 Okey.
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