How to play Thousand (Tysiąc / 1000)

Deck, card values and ranking

Thousand uses a 24-card deck: 9, Jack, Queen, King, 10 and Ace in each suit. Card values are Ace 11, Ten 10, King 4, Queen 3, Jack 2, Nine 0 — 120 points per deal. In tricks the cards rank, high to low: Ace, 10, King, Queen, Jack, 9.

The deal and bidding

Each player gets 7 cards and 3 go to the musik. The player to the dealer’s left starts, automatically committed to 100. Others raise by a multiple of 10 (minimum 110) or pass; passing drops you out. The highest bidder becomes the declarer (if both others pass, the forehand plays 100).

The musik and exchange

The declarer reveals the musik (everyone sees it) and takes the 3 cards — now holding 10. Then they give one card to each opponent, so everyone holds 8.

Game value: after taking the musik the declarer may raise the final game value above their winning bid (e.g. bid 110, then declare 220) — the higher they declare, the more they win if they make it, or lose if they fall short.

Marriages and trump

There is no trump at the start — only a marriage sets it. A marriage is a King + Queen of the same suit; you declare it only when leading a trick by playing the King or Queen and announcing it. The marriage suit becomes trump until the next marriage. Marriage points count only if you win at least one trick in the deal.

Following suit

You must follow the led suit. If you can’t, you must trump; and if a trump is already down in the trick, you must overtrump when able. The highest trump wins, or with no trump the highest card of the led suit. The winner leads the next trick.

Scoring and the 800 rule

After the deal the declarer adds the card points of their won tricks plus their marriages. Make the bid → score exactly the amount bid; fail → the same amount as a minus. Defenders record their points rounded to 10 (5 or less down, 6 or more up).