This page is a translated archive of the original Académie des jeux oubliés, created on July 1, 2026, from the French original at salondesjeux.fr.
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This page is a translated archive of the original Académie des jeux oubliés, created on July 1, 2026, from the French original at salondesjeux.fr.
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Piquet
Piquet is the card game with the longest history. Codified in 1631, it is believed to have existed since the time of Charles VI. Before being called Piquet, it was known as Cent , probably in reference to the total number of points needed to win a game. Although now in steep decline, it remained popular until the middle of the 20th century. Until around the middle of the 19th century, it was considered, along with Chess and Trictrac, one of a trio of games regarded as the finest. A treatise on Trictrac published in 1816 – Nicolas Guiton, Traité complet du jeu de trictrac – compares the merits and drawbacks of these three games, naturally giving preference to Trictrac, the main subject of the book. During the 17th century, Piquet – often spelled Picquet – was played with a 36-card deck, and it is this version that is described in the comedy-ballet, Les Fâcheux, by Molière, first performed in 1661. It was only in the last two decades of the Grand Siècle that Piquet came to be played with a reduced 32-card deck, after the sixes were removed. For a time the two versions coexisted, the new one then being called little Piquet. From the early 18th century onward, this smaller-deck version remained the only one played, and it is the very same game that is played today under the simple name of Piquet. The game's popularity was such that the 32-card deck itself came to be called a piquet deck. Packs of 32 cards sold today often still bear the word Piquet on the edge of their packaging. The rules presented below follow the original rules of little Piquet. Next are presented the minor differences with old Piquet, and finally the few simplifications introduced to Piquet during the 19th century that, for the most part, remain in use today.
I. Setting Up
1. Number of Players and the Deck
Piquet is played by two players, with a deck of 32 cards.
Within each of the four suits, the cards rank in the following descending order:
Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7
In Piquet, there is no trump suit.
To decide who will deal first – that is, make the first deal – each of the two players draws a card from the deck, and whoever draws the lower card becomes the first dealer. Thereafter, the deal alternates between the players.
The first dealer thus decided gathers up all the cards, shuffles them, offers them to his opponent to cut, then deals twelve cards to each player, three at a time or two at a time, starting with his opponent. Once the deal is complete, the dealer places the eight remaining cards face down in a pile between the two players. These eight cards make up the stock.
The dealer's opponent is the elder hand ; he will be the first to discard, then the first to speak during the declarations , and finally he will lead the first card of the play.
II. Discarding 4. The Ordinary Method of Discarding
After the deal, each player holds 12 cards, and the stock consists of the 8 remaining cards. The discarding phase proceeds as follows:
After examining his cards, the elder hand may discard up to 5 of them, but he is required to discard at least one – even if it works against him. He announces the number of cards he is discarding from his hand, places them face down in a pile to his right, and takes the same number of cards from the top of the stock so as to have 12 cards in hand again.
If the elder hand discarded fewer than 5 cards, after completing his hand he secretly looks at the cards on top of the stock that he could have taken, and puts them back on the stock without changing their order – for example, if he discards only 3 cards, after taking the first 3 cards from the stock, he looks at the next 2 and puts them back on the stock in their original order.
The dealer then makes his own discard. He must discard at least one card from his hand, but may discard as many as all the cards remaining in the stock – since the elder hand cannot take more than 5 cards, at least 3 always remain available to the dealer. He then completes his hand back to 12 cards with the top cards of the stock, or all of them if he chooses to discard as many as remained. Thus, if the elder hand did not discard 5 cards, the dealer will have to take one or more cards already seen by the elder hand before he can touch the last 3, which are reserved for him.
If, after discarding, the dealer has left one or more cards in the stock, he may look at them without showing them to the elder hand. The elder hand may ask to see them, but only on condition that he first announces which suit he will lead for the first trick of the play.
When, after the deal, a player holds 12 blank cards – that is, no kings, queens, or jacks –, he may declare carte blanche, but only before discarding.
If it is the dealer who holds carte blanche, once the elder hand has made his discard and completed his hand from the stock as usual, he declares it by saying " carte blanche ", then shows his hand to the elder hand to prove his good faith. This done, the dealer discards as usual.
If it is the elder hand who holds carte blanche, the procedure is different. So that the dealer cannot make his discard after having seen the elder hand's cards, the elder hand begins by declaring that he has carte blanche, saying " carte blanche ", then announces the number of cards he intends to discard, or how many he will leave for the dealer, but for the moment he keeps his 12 blank cards in hand. It is then up to the dealer to make his discard, the maximum of which is the remainder announced by the elder hand; however, he does not yet take any cards from the stock. The elder hand shows his 12 cards so the dealer can confirm they really are blank, then takes them back into his hand and discards the number of cards he had announced, proceeding with the stock as usual. The dealer may now complete his hand from the stock, and both players may look at any remaining cards as usual.
Since there are only 20 blank cards in a 32-card deck, only one of the two players can ever be in a position to declare carte blanche.
Carte blanche is worth 10 points to whoever declares it, as soon as he has shown it.
Once the discarding phase is over, with or without carte blanche, play moves on to the declarations.
III. Declarations 6. The Point
Each player looks in his hand for the suit whose cards total the highest number of points. The elder hand announces this maximum, which is called the point – for example, by announcing "forty-six at the point" – and the dealer replies "good" if he has less, "equal" if he has the same, or "better" if he has a higher point.
To work out the point, each type of card has its own value.
Thus, for example: an ace, a queen, a nine, and a seven of the same suit form a point of 11 + 10 + 9 + 7 = 37
If both players have an equal point, neither scores anything.
The player with the higher point scores only its tens digit. For example, a point of 30, 31, 32, 33, or 34 is worth only 3 points, while a point of 35, 36, 37, 38, or 39 is worth 4 points.
Until around the end of the first half of the 17th century, the point was called ronfle – Molière in Les Facheux uses the term point.
Once the point has been announced, the players look in their hands to find their best sequence.
A sequence is a run of cards of the same suit, made up of at least 3 cards. A sequence has a name and a value related to the number of cards that make it up:
For sequences of the same length, the one with the highest card wins. For example, a tierce made up of an eight, a nine, and a ten is lower than one made up of a nine, a ten, and a jack.
To state the height of a sequence, it is enough to name its highest card. Thus, to continue the previous example, we say that the tierce to the jack beats the tierce to the ten.
With this established, declarations proceed as follows: the elder hand announces his strongest sequence by name and height – for example "quint to the queen" –, the dealer replies as for the point, "good" if he has no sequence at least equal to it, "equal" if he has an equal sequence, or "better" if he has a higher one.
It is theoretically possible for the elder hand to have no sequence at all in hand; in that case he announces "no sequence". The dealer replies "better" if he has at least one, or "equal" if he has none either.
If both players have an equal sequence, neither scores anything.
The player with the best sequence scores the corresponding number of points, and may also claim as good any of his other sequences that are lower than or equal to the winning one. For example, a player who wins with a quint may also count a tierce if he has one, bringing his total to 15 + 3 = 18.
Once the sequence has been announced, the players look in their hands to see whether they have four cards of the same rank, or failing that, only three.
A set of four cards of the same rank – declared "quatorze" – beats a set of three, and among declarations of the same type, the one of higher rank wins. For example, three kings beat three queens, but they are lower than a quatorze of jacks.
The elder hand announces first whether he has three of a kind or a quatorze, specifying the rank, and the dealer replies "good" if he has no higher combination, or "better" if he does – a tie is impossible with this type of declaration.
It is possible for the elder hand to have neither a quatorze nor three of a kind in hand, in which case he declares nothing. The dealer in that case declares nothing either, and the elder hand moves straight on to counting the points he has won since the deal.
The player with the best combination scores the corresponding number of points, and may also claim as good any of his other combinations of matching cards that are lower than the winning one. For example, a player who wins with a quatorze of jacks may also count a quatorze of tens or three kings if he has them, bringing his total to 14 + 14 = 28 or 14 + 3 = 17.
IV. Scoring Declaration Points 9. Scoring for the Elder Hand
Once the elder hand has finished his declarations, he counts aloud the points for those the dealer confirmed as good by answering "good", beginning with carte blanche, then in order the point, the sequences, and finally the three-of-a-kinds and quatorzes.
To be able to score the point and the sequences, he must show them to the dealer while counting.
On the other hand, it is accepted that there is no need to show the three-of-a-kinds and quatorzes, since stating their rank is generally enough to let the other player know exactly which cards make up the declaration. However, regarding a three-of-a-kind declaration, if the holder discarded the fourth matching card, the other player has no way of knowing which one it is; in that case, the declarer must, if asked, tell the other player which card he discarded, or show him his three cards.
Once the elder hand has finished counting his declaration points, he plays the first card of the play onto the table and immediately adds 1 point to his score if it is a scoring card – if the card played is not a scoring card, he does not count this point. Scoring is always done aloud and clearly. If he had reached 16 declaration points, then, on playing a scoring first card, he would simply announce "17".
It is important to remember that the elder hand may look at any cards remaining in the stock only if he has first declared which suit his first card will be. If this happens, the dealer must make sure the elder hand keeps to his word.
Once this first card has been played, it is the dealer's turn to count his declaration points. 11. Scoring for the Dealer
Once the elder hand has played the first card, the dealer counts his declaration points in the same way, for those he claimed as better.
Like the elder hand, the dealer must show his point and his sequences in order to score them.
Furthermore, if the dealer canceled out any of the elder hand's declarations by holding equal ones, he must prove his good faith while scoring by showing them, even though they do not count – and the elder hand must do the same.
Repic is a bonus of 60 points awarded to a player who, while counting his declaration points, reaches or exceeds 30 points. In that case, instead of counting 30, 31, or 32... he counts 90, 91, or 92...
However, for a player to be able to score repic, the other player must not have scored any declaration at all before the one that brought him to the 30 points needed for repic. Thus, for example, if the dealer has declared carte blanche, since this declaration comes first, it prevents the elder hand from being able to score repic.
V. Play of the Cards 13. Principle
The play of the cards is based on tricks. Only the number of tricks won matters. The point value of the cards is not counted here – it is used solely to determine the size of the point when it is declared, and to work out its value.
The only rule is that the second player to play must always follow with a card of the suit led by the first player – this suit is called the suit led. There is no trump suit, and if a player does not hold a card of the suit led, he may play any card he chooses, according to his own interest.
Whoever plays the highest card of the suit led wins the trick, which he stacks face down in front of him.
As mentioned earlier, the elder hand leads to the first trick as soon as he has finished counting his declaration points.
As soon as the dealer has in turn finished his own scoring, he plays a card to follow the elder hand's, and whichever of the two players wins the trick – according to the rules of article 13 – leads to the next trick. Play continues in this way until the twelfth trick, which is the last of the hand.
Each time a player leads the first card of a trick, he adds 1 point to his score, simply announcing his new total clearly and aloud.
Likewise, whenever the second player to play to a trick wins it, he adds 1 point to his score. If it is the first player who wins the trick, he does not add this point. This means that for any given trick, it is not possible to score more than one point.
However, the player who wins the last trick adds 1 extra point to his score, whether he was the first or the second to play to that trick. So, exceptionally, for the twelfth trick, whoever wins it scores a total of 2 points instead of just one. 15.1 Exception to Trick Points: Non-Scoring Cards
If the first player plays a card lower than a ten, instead of scoring 1 point as stated in article 15, he scores none at all.
Likewise, whenever the second player to play to a trick wins it with a card lower than a ten, he adds no point to his score. Thus, in the play of the cards, sevens, eights, and nines are called non-scoring cards.
If the last trick is won with a non-scoring card, the point for last is nevertheless awarded to whoever wins it.
When all 12 tricks have been played, each player counts the number of tricks he has won, and whoever has more – that is, more than 6 – adds 10 points to his score. This bonus is called the ten for cards.
If both players have won 6 tricks each, the 10 points for cards are not awarded.
If a player wins every trick, he does not score the 10 points for cards but instead counts 40. In Piquet, as in Belote today, winning every trick is called capotting one's opponent, or winning by capot. The bonus is accordingly called the forty for capot.
Pique is a bonus of 30 points awarded to a player who reaches a score of 30 points during the play of the cards, while the other player has not yet scored any points at all, whether from declarations or from the play. In that case, instead of counting 30 he counts 60. These 30 points must necessarily be reached through tricks, including the point for last – the 10 points for cards and the 40 points for capot can never be used toward pique.
It follows that if the elder hand could not score any declaration points but leads a scoring first card, that very point prevents the dealer from being able to score pique – in practice, this means only the elder hand can ever make pique. It should be noted, however, that this first point in the play does not count toward preventing a possible repic for the dealer. Likewise, the slightest valid declaration by the dealer prevents pique for the elder hand.
VI. Length of the Game 19. Scorekeeping
The scoring of points made during a hand is done aloud but is not written down.
It is only at the end of a hand that each player's score is recorded, by various possible means. One might, for example, use a sheet of paper and a pencil, or round tokens worth 1 point and rectangular chips worth 10 points.
After each hand, the points won by each player are added to those from the previous hand or hands, and the game ends when one of the players reaches the agreed total, usually 100 points, though it may also be set at 150 or 200 – most often the game is played to 100 points, in which case the players are said to be playing a hundred up.
When, at the end of a hand, one of the two players is close to the target total, the following hand stops as soon as one of them reaches that target. For this purpose, carte blanche points count first, followed by the point, then the sequence, and finally the three-of-a-kind or quatorze. If neither player reaches the target during the declarations, the play of the cards is played out in full, and if both players end up exceeding the target, whoever has the higher score wins.
A match is most often played as two games of 100 points. Whoever wins both games wins the match, but if each player has won one game, they settle it by playing a third game called the belle.
Remarks 21. Declarations
Although it is usually preferable to declare one's strongest combinations, nothing obliges a player to do so. He may declare a weaker one, or not declare at all.
If a player chooses not to declare his strongest combination, he will not be able to claim it later, even if he wins with a weaker one.
This tactic is used in Rubicon Piquet by a player who, believing he will not reach 100 points, tries to give away as little as possible to his opponent. However, he must be careful not to let his opponent score even more from his own hand as a result. Striking the right balance can be difficult.
Before and after discarding, players generally arrange their cards by suit, in ascending or descending order, from left to right.
This makes it easier to read one's hand at every stage of a hand: reading the point, the sequences, and even the three-of-a-kinds and quatorzes, which do not involve the low cards – sevens, eights and nines –, as well as the play of the cards.
The second advantage of arranging the cards this way is that when a declared combination must be shown, the cards are not scattered, except for the three-of-a-kinds and quatorzes.
The rules do not require a player to show his valid three-of-a-kinds and quatorzes, precisely so as not to waste time needlessly disturbing and rearranging the cards in hand.
A quatorze , which is a set of four cards of the same rank – in other games this is called a four of a kind – requires neither stating its rank nor showing it. By looking at his own hand, the opponent can easily work out the rank – he will often simply say "I see it", or state the rank himself.
A set of three cards of the same rank – these days commonly called a brelan – requires stating its rank but not showing it, since the missing fourth card is either in the opponent's hand or in his discard. However, if the declarer himself discarded the fourth card, the opponent will have no way of knowing which one it is. In that case, he will ask the dealer for its suit. The same can also happen if the missing card is still in the stock.
After the deal, the stock is placed between the two players, then, once any cards remain in it after the discards, to the dealer's right.
All discards are placed to the elder hand's right.
None of the discarded cards, nor any left in the stock, may be examined during play.
Once stacked, tricks should be laid partly crosswise, to make them easier to count when determining who is awarded the ten for cards.
It is forbidden to look back at the tricks won by either player, except for the last one.
With the twin aims of keeping the game flowing smoothly and avoiding mistakes in the alternation of dealers, it is best to use two 32-card decks, each with a different colored back.
Each player deals in turn with his own deck.
Piquet in Molière's Time (1661)
This older form of Piquet is played with a 36-card deck instead of 32 – the sixes are the lowest cards.
Since the players still receive 12 cards each, the stock likewise contains 12.
The elder hand may exchange up to 8 cards with the stock. So, if he exchanges 8 cards, the dealer then has only 4 left available to him.
Because there are 9 cards in each suit instead of only 8, it is theoretically possible to hold a ninth, or nineteenth – a sequence of 9 cards worth 19 points.
Unlike little Piquet, it is possible for both players to hold carte blanche. In this extremely rare case, both players score the 10 points for carte blanche, so that neither of them will be able to make either repic or pique.
In Les Fâcheux by Molière, Saint Bouvain, the elder hand, having made his discard, finds his hand too weak and suggests to Alcippe, the dealer, that the hand be called off. Alcippe refuses, the hand is played out, and he loses the game. This possibility for the elder hand to ask for the hand to be canceled is not described in any set of Piquet rules, but a similar principle is partly found in the game of Triomphe.
Modern Piquet
Two simplifications have been introduced, concerning on the one hand the declaration of the point, and on the other the play of the cards.
The point is now simply equal to the greatest number of cards of the same suit. In the event of a tie, each player works out the total point value contained in his point, and whoever announces the higher total wins. The value assigned to the cards therefore now serves only to break ties.
As for the play of the cards, all cards are now scoring cards – which makes it easier to score pique.
Some rules specify that the point for the last trick is not counted in the event of a capot.
Rubicon
Rubicon is not, strictly speaking, a variant of Piquet, but rather another way of determining which of the two players wins the match, and by how much.
In the classic method, whoever reaches the agreed number of points, usually set at 100, wins the match and any stake involved.
Rubicon Piquet is played over six hands, for which the players deal in turn. To decide who deals first, each player draws a card from the deck, and whoever draws the higher card may, as he chooses, deal himself or require his opponent to deal – experience shows that it is generally better to leave the deal to one's opponent.
At the end of each hand, the number of points scored by each player is recorded in a table on a sheet of paper, with the running total kept as they go. Once all six hands have been played, the winner is whoever has scored the higher number of points. In the event of a tie, two additional hands are played.
The amount won depends on the number of points reached by the loser:
– if it is below 100: the winnings for the match equal the sum of both players' points, plus a bonus of 100 points
– if it is equal to or above 100: the winnings for the match equal the difference between the two players' points, plus a bonus of 100 points.
This threshold of 100 points, which the loser has every interest in reaching, is called the Rubicon. In the second case, the loser has reached, or passed, the Rubicon, and he minimizes his losses by scoring as many points as possible; in the first case, he has not reached it, and, if he does not think he can, he has every interest in scoring as few points as possible while preventing his opponent from scoring a large number.
Rubicon Piquet is a way of playing Piquet that is less random, and that allows the size of the losses or winnings to be wagered on.
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