♦Official Rules Centre♠

Learn the Game.Play It Right.

A clear, modern guide to playing, scoring and officiating competitive All Fours. Use the quick links to move directly to the rule you need.

Quick Guide

The Game at a Glance

The essential information a new player should understand before the first card is dealt.

Players

4

Two teams of two

Cards

6

Dealt to each player

Direction

↺

Anticlockwise play

Winning Score

14

Called a Bullseye

Basic Flow

1

Shuffle & Cut

Prepare the deck correctly.

2

Deal Six Cards

Three cards twice to each player.

3

Turn the Kick

The face-up card proposes trump.

4

Stand or Beg

Accept trump or request a change.

5

Play the Tricks

Follow the legal play requirements.

6

Count the Score

Record points before the next deal.

Card Ranking

Ace Is High

Cards rank from highest to lowest in the following order:

AKQJ1098765432

Trump cards outrank every non-trump card during the hand.

Complete Playing Rules

Every Stage of the Game

Open each section to read the rule. The first sections are expanded to help new players get started quickly.

01

Object of the Game

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Become the first team to legally record 14 points and achieve a Bullseye.

All Fours is normally played by four players divided into two teams. Partners sit opposite each other.

Points are earned from High, Low, Jack, Hang Jack, Game, special kick cards and penalties awarded during play.

02

Seating, Dealer and Direction

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Partners sit opposite each other and the deal and play move anticlockwise.

  • ◆Players may cut or draw cards to determine seats and the first dealer.
  • ◆The dealer shuffles and presents the pack to the designated cutter.
  • ◆The turn to deal passes to the right after each completed hand.
  • ◆Cards should remain visible and above the playing surface during the deal.
03

Shuffle and Cut

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The deck must be properly shuffled and cut before cards are dealt.

  • ◆The cutter separates the pack into two portions without removing the cards from the table.
  • ◆The dealer completes the cut by placing one portion on the other.
  • ◆Once the cut is completed, the cards should not be reshuffled unless an official orders a new shuffle.
  • ◆Any irregular cut should be corrected before the first card is dealt.
04

The Deal

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Each player receives six cards, normally in two rounds of three cards.

  • ◆The dealer begins with the player on the right and continues anticlockwise.
  • ◆Three cards are dealt to each player, followed by another three cards to each player.
  • ◆After all players have six cards, the dealer turns the next card face-up.
  • ◆The suit of the face-up card becomes the proposed trump suit.

Official Note:An incorrect number of cards, dealing in the wrong direction or dealing out of sequence may result in a misdeal.

05

The Kick Card

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The face-up kick card proposes the trump suit and may immediately score points.

When the dealer turns an Ace, Six or Jack, the dealer’s team records the appropriate kick-card points.

The lead player then decides whether to Stand and accept the suit or Beg for a change of trump.

06

Stand, Stand Blind and Beg

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The lead player chooses whether to accept the proposed trump suit or request another suit.

  • ◆Stand: the lead player accepts the kick card’s suit as trump and normal play begins.
  • ◆Stand Blind: the lead player accepts the trump suit before looking at their cards. The declaration cannot be withdrawn.
  • ◆Beg: the lead player asks the dealer to give one point or run the cards for a different trump suit.
  • ◆Give One: the dealer awards one point to the opposing team and keeps the original trump suit.
  • ◆Run the Cards: the dealer gives three additional cards to each player and turns another card.
  • ◆If the new kick card is the same suit as the original, the dealer continues running the cards until a different suit appears.
07

Playing the Hand

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The lead player opens the first trick and each trick winner leads the next.

  • ◆Any card may be led.
  • ◆When a trump is led, every player who holds a trump must play a trump.
  • ◆When a non-trump suit is led, a player holding that suit may follow suit or play a trump.
  • ◆A player who cannot follow the suit led may play any card.
  • ◆The highest trump wins the trick. When no trump is played, the highest card of the suit led wins.
08

When a Card Is Played

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A card is normally considered played once it touches the table or is clearly released as a play.

  • ◆A legally played card cannot normally be withdrawn, exchanged or replaced.
  • ◆When two cards fall together, the official determines which card was played first.
  • ◆Players should not expose or display cards that are still in their hands.
  • ◆An official should be called before cards are moved when a dispute occurs.
09

Scoring the Hand

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Points are counted carefully and should be confirmed before the next deal begins.

  • ◆High, Low, Jack and Game are the four standard scoring points.
  • ◆Capturing the opposing Jack of trumps scores three points for Hang Jack instead of the normal Jack point.
  • ◆Kick-card points and points given after a Beg are recorded when they occur.
  • ◆When teams approach 14, points should be counted in the official order used by the tournament.

Official Note:Tournament organizers should publish the exact tie procedure for Game before competition begins.

10

Reneging

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Reneging occurs when a player makes an illegal discard while holding a card that should legally have been played.

  • ◆A player may not discard an unrelated non-trump when able to follow the non-trump suit led.
  • ◆A player may not fail to play trump when trump is led and the player still holds a trump.
  • ◆Play should stop immediately when a renege is claimed.
  • ◆Cards already played and cards remaining in each hand must stay in place for the official’s inspection.

Official Note:The penalty must follow the rules published for that tournament. Serious or deliberate violations may result in loss of points, loss of the hand or loss of the game.

11

Under-Trumping

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An official determines whether a lower trump was legally played under the tournament’s adopted rules.

Players must follow all compulsory trump requirements. When under-trumping is challenged, the table must remain untouched until the official examines the cards and sequence of play.

12

Misdeal and Exposed Cards

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A hand may be cancelled when the deal is completed incorrectly or the deck is defective.

  • ◆A player receives too many or too few cards.
  • ◆Cards are dealt in the wrong direction or to the wrong player.
  • ◆The dealer deals before the deck is properly cut.
  • ◆A card is improperly exposed during the deal.
  • ◆The pack is incomplete, contains duplicates or includes an unauthorized card.

Official Note:The tournament official decides whether the hand is corrected, redealt or penalized.

13

Cards Found Off the Table

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Any card found on the floor or away from the playing surface must be reported immediately.

  • ◆No player should secretly retrieve, hide or return the card to a hand.
  • ◆The official determines whether the card belongs to the active deck and whether the hand was affected.
  • ◆The official may allow play to continue, correct the deck or order a redeal.
14

Claiming and Recording Points

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Teams are responsible for confirming their score before the next hand begins.

  • ◆Points should be announced clearly and entered on the official score sheet or scoreboard.
  • ◆A scoring disagreement should be raised before the cards are packed or cut for the next hand.
  • ◆Once the next deal has begun, late claims may be refused unless the tournament rules permit a correction.
15

Player Conduct and Fair Play

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Every participant must compete honestly and respect partners, opponents and officials.

  • ◆No signalling, coaching, coded language or deliberate disclosure of cards.
  • ◆No marked, bent, damaged or substituted cards.
  • ◆No unnecessary delay, intimidation, threats or abusive language.
  • ◆Phones and unauthorized devices should remain away from the playing area.
  • ◆Players must follow the instructions of authorized tournament officials.

Official Note:Cheating, violence, threats or deliberate disruption may result in removal, suspension or disqualification.

16

Substitutions

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All substitutes must be approved by the tournament organizer or head official.

  • ◆A substitute should not enter a hand already in progress except in an approved emergency.
  • ◆A Fly Substitute is assigned to a particular player, team, match or limited period.
  • ◆A Floating Substitute may be assigned by the organizer wherever a replacement is required.
  • ◆A substitute becomes subject to every tournament rule immediately upon entering play.
17

Disputes and Official Decisions

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Stop play and call an official before moving cards whenever a dispute occurs.

  • ◆The official may inspect cards already played, cards remaining in hand, the score record and the order of play.
  • ◆Players should explain the issue calmly and separately when requested.
  • ◆The head official or tournament director gives the final ruling unless an appeal procedure has been published.

Scoring Guide

High. Low. Jack. Game.

Points are earned from the trump cards dealt, cards captured in tricks, special kick cards and certain official penalties.

1 Point

High

Awarded to the team that holds the highest trump card dealt in the hand.

1 Point

Low

Awarded to the team that originally held the lowest trump card dealt.

1 Point

Jack

Awarded when the Jack of trumps is retained or won by the holder’s team.

3 Points

Hang Jack

Awarded when the opposing team captures the Jack of trumps.

1 Point

Game

Awarded to the team with the highest total value of counting cards won in tricks.

Kick Card Points

Points from the Turn-Up

Ace1 Point
Six2 Points
Jack3 Points

Counting Game

Card Values

1010
Ace4
King3
Queen2
Jack1
9 to 20

Winning the Game

14

First Team to a Bullseye Wins

Violations & Penalties

Protecting Fair Competition

Play must stop when a possible violation is reported. Do not collect or rearrange the cards before an official arrives.

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Renege

An illegal failure to follow the required suit or trump rule while holding a legal card.

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Misdeal

An incorrect deal involving card count, direction, sequence, exposure or an invalid deck.

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Signalling

Any gesture, word, expression or code used to reveal information to a partner.

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Exposed Cards

Showing cards that should remain hidden may require correction, penalty or a redeal.

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Score Dispute

A disagreement about points must be raised before the next deal officially begins.

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Unsporting Conduct

Abuse, threats, deliberate delay, cheating or disruption may lead to disqualification.

Tournament Penalty Notice

Different leagues and tournaments may use different chalk, point, hand-loss or game-loss penalties. Every organizer should publish the adopted penalty schedule before registration closes and apply it consistently to every team.

All Fours Glossary

Know the Language of the Game

Search for a word or browse the complete list of commonly used All Fours terms.

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♦

Beg

The lead player’s request for the dealer to award one point or run additional cards in search of a different trump suit.

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Bullseye

The point total of 14 that completes and wins a game of All Fours.

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Cut

The act of separating the deck into two portions before the deal.

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Cutter

The player responsible for cutting the deck.

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Dealer

The player responsible for shuffling, dealing and turning the kick card.

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Game

The scoring point awarded for capturing the highest total value of counting cards.

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Give One

The dealer’s decision to keep the proposed trump suit and award one point to the opponents after a Beg.

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Hang Jack

Capturing the opposing team’s Jack of trumps. It is normally worth three points.

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High

The highest trump card dealt during the hand.

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Jack

The Jack of the trump suit and one of the principal scoring points.

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Kick Card

The face-up card turned by the dealer to propose or determine the trump suit.

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Lead

The first card played to begin a trick.

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Lead Player

The player on the dealer’s right who opens the first trick and decides whether to Stand or Beg.

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Lift

A card draw or cut used to determine seating, partnerships or the first dealer.

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Low

The lowest trump card dealt during the hand.

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Misdeal

An incorrect or invalid deal that may require the hand to be corrected or dealt again.

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Played Card

A card that has touched the playing surface or has clearly been released as a play.

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Renege

An illegal failure to follow a compulsory play requirement while holding a legal card.

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Run the Cards

Dealing three additional cards to each player and turning another card to find a different trump suit.

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Shuffle

Mixing the deck before presenting it to be cut.

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Stand

Accepting the kick card’s suit as the trump suit.

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Stand Blind

Accepting the proposed trump suit before looking at one’s cards.

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Trick

One round in which every player contributes one card. The winner leads the next trick.

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Trump

The suit that outranks all other suits for the current hand.

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Under-Trumping

Playing a lower trump in a situation governed by a tournament’s compulsory trump rules.

Fair Play Commitment

Respect the Table. Respect the Game.

Participation in an All Fours Tournament Network event means agreeing to compete honestly, follow authorized rulings, respect every participant and protect the integrity of the game.

This page presents the rules in a clearer digital format. A tournament organizer may publish event-specific procedures, penalties and tie rules. The officially published tournament rules take priority for that event.