Bidding in Pilotta
The auction is the language you speak with your partner before the first card falls. Here is how the bidding flows, what a single, double and triple opening mean, how your partner responds, and when the defence dares to close the game.
How the auction flows
- Bidding starts at 80 and rises in steps of 10, counter-clockwise around the table.
- A pass is not final — you may re-enter the auction on a later round of it.
- If all four players pass, the hand is thrown in and the next dealer redeals.
The three basic openings
| Opening | Bid | What you hold in trumps |
|---|---|---|
| Single (μονό) | 80 | The Jack or the Nine plus other trumps — or heavy trump strength without either (e.g. a run to the Ace) |
| Double (διπλό) | 90 | The Jack and the Nine plus other trumps. Entering over a running auction with a double hand jumps +20 over the last bid |
| Triple (τριπλό) | 100 | Jack, Nine and Ace — ideally with at least one card in every side suit |
A single opening does not require an Ace outside trumps.
How your partner responds
- +10 for holding the missing strong trump (the Jack or the Nine) — bid on the first round of the auction.
- +10 per Ace outside trumps — Aces without the Jack/Nine are bid on the second round.
Declaration openings
When your hand carries a declaration, the opening announces it: bid = base opening + the declaration's value.
| Bid | What it says |
|---|---|
| 130 | 80 + a run of four holding the trump Jack, missing the Nine (the 7-8-9-10 run is never opened as 130) |
| 140 | 90 + a run of four with both the trump Jack and Nine |
| 150 | Four Nines, without the trump Jack |
| 160 | Four Aces |
| 170 | Four Nines + the trump Jack |
| 180 | 80 + a run of five from the 10 to the Ace, missing the Nine |
| 190 | 90 + a run of five with both the trump Jack and Nine |
| 220 | Four Jacks |
| 230 | Four Jacks + the trump Nine |
The closed game (κλειστό)
During the auction the defenders may close the game — a bet that the bidders will fail their contract. The team that wins a closed round scores double the contract plus all 162 of the round's points plus every declaration; the other team scores zero. If the bidders trust their hand and close back, the stake becomes quadruple. The closed game is the sweetest — and the most dangerous — moment in Pilotta.
Play Pilotta online
On Pilotta.io the auction flows just like at the table — with a coach that teaches you the openings step by step. Coming soon.
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