How to play Hokm: rules of the Persian card game
Also known as: حکم
Hokm is Iran's favourite trick-taking card game. Learn the deal, how the hakem chooses trump, winning seven tricks and the rule of kot, with tips for partners.
- Type
- Card game
- Players
- 2–4
- Age
- Ages 10+
- Play time
- 20–60 min
- Origin
- Iran
Hokm is the most popular card game in Iran, played at family gatherings, in student dormitories and between old friends. Its name means "order" or "command", and it refers to the trump suit chosen by the leading player, the hakem. The classic form is for four players in two fixed partnerships sitting opposite each other, using a standard deck of fifty-two cards. Players try to win tricks, and the first team to win seven tricks wins the hand. Hokm is easy to start but rich in tactics: partners must read each other's plays without speaking, remember which cards have gone, and decide when to spend a trump. Two-player and three-player versions also exist for smaller groups.
Our verdict
Hokm is a true team game. Partners succeed by building silent understanding, remembering cards and planning together, which makes victories feel shared. Each hand is short, but a match can carry tension for an hour. Because it uses an ordinary deck, it can be played anywhere, from a living room to a train. For learners of Persian culture, hokm is also a door into Iranian social life, with its own vocabulary, jokes and friendly rivalry.
What works
- Deep teamwork and memory play
- Only needs a standard deck of cards
- Quick hands with constant decisions
What does not
- Best with exactly four players
- Beginners can feel lost among experienced partners
How to play Hokm
Cards rank from ace (high) down to two. A hakem is chosen, often by dealing cards until someone receives an ace. The dealer gives five cards to each player; the hakem looks at these five cards and announces the trump suit, the hokm. The rest of the deck is then dealt so everyone has thirteen cards. The hakem leads the first trick. Each player in turn must follow the suit that was led if possible. A player with no cards of that suit may play a trump or discard any other card. The highest trump wins the trick; if no trump is played, the highest card of the led suit wins. The winner of a trick leads the next one. The first team to take seven tricks wins the hand. Winning seven tricks while the other team takes none is called kot and usually counts for more. Matches are typically played to seven hands, and the hakem role passes according to agreed rules.
Tips for new players
- Count trumps as they are played; knowing how many remain decides the end of each hand.
- Lead your strong suits early so your partner learns where your power is.
- Do not use a trump on a trick your partner is already winning.
- As hakem, choose the suit where you hold the most cards, not only the highest ones.
Good for
Hokm: common questions
What does hokm mean?
Hokm means "order" or "command" in Persian. In the game it is the trump suit announced by the hakem.
What is kot in hokm?
Kot is when one team wins seven tricks and the other team wins none. It usually earns extra points.
Can hokm be played with two or three players?
Yes, two-player and three-player versions exist, but the classic and most common form is four players in two teams.
Hokm belongs to its owners. Playdonya is not connected to them and does not sell this game; the cover is our own illustration.
