What is a round in card games?

A round is a sequence of turns in which every player plays once, following the order around the table. In many games, the word also covers everything from the deal until all the cards have been played, although in Spain this is most commonly called a hand.

A round of turns

Once every player has played a card or made their move, a round is complete. In trick-taking games such as Brisca (a Spanish trick-taking game), a round of turns is also a trick: everyone plays one card and someone wins it. We explain this in what is a trick.

A round as a deal

In shedding games such as Chinchón (a Spanish rummy game), a ‘round’ usually means everything that happens between dealing the cards and a player closing. At the end, the points are counted and another round begins.

Rounds, hands and games

• Turn: one player’s move.
• Round or trick: everyone plays once.
• Hand: everything from the deal until all the cards have been played.
• Game: as many hands as it takes to reach the target. We cover this in what is a points-based game.

Which direction does play follow?

In the Spanish tradition, play moves anticlockwise: the turn passes to the player on the right. Many groups change this, but it remains the most widespread custom.