Play Auction Batak
Auction Batak is classic Batak with the bid at its heart: all four players promise a number of tricks at once, and spades are always trump. This page covers the auction rules, the bid ranges and the scoring — free auction Batak tables are one click away.
What is auction Batak?#
Batak is a bidding game by nature: you look at your hand and promise how many tricks you will take (the bid). Keep your promise and you score; miss it and you take the batak penalty. "Auction Batak" refers to classic Batak played with this simultaneous-declaration auction in full.
Luck alone doesn't win auction Batak: bidding correctly is half the game. A player who reads their hand and names the right number beats one who holds stronger cards but overbids.
How does the bid work?#
After the deal, all four players declare their bid at the same time, without seeing each other's numbers. There is no pass — everyone must name a number, either 0 or between 3 and 13; 1 and 2 are not legal bids.
Once all four bids are in, they are revealed to the table. The bids may add up to more than 13; that is normal in this declaration style and tricks are never duplicated.
| Bid | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | "No tricks": +50 with zero tricks, −50 if you take any |
| 3–7 | Safe zone; the natural bid of a balanced hand |
| 8–10 | Strong hand; needs a long spade suit or high cards |
| 11–13 | Near-total; requires a very powerful deal |
The zero bid: the no-tricks gamble#
The most exciting escape in auction Batak is the zero bid: "I will take no tricks this round." Finish with a clean sheet and you score +50; take even a single trick and −50 goes on the sheet.
The zero bid makes sense with trumpless, ace-less, low hands — when you had no realistic chance of taking tricks anyway, it turns a dead hand into a prize.
Scoring in auction Batak#
The rule is simple: make your bid and you score ten times the number; miss it (go batak) and the same amount is subtracted. Extra tricks beyond your bid score nothing — which is why the correct bid always beats a brave bid.
| Result | Points |
|---|---|
| Bid made | +bid × 10 |
| Batak — bid missed | −bid × 10 |
| Zero bid, no tricks taken | +50 |
| Zero bid, any trick taken | −50 |
| Overtricks | 0 |
Bidding strategy tips#
- Count your spades: five or more is the foundation of a strong bid — spades are always trump.
- Value aces and high cards one by one: every top card is one trick.
- Count your certain tricks and don't add one for luck: a made 7 beats a failed 10 every time.
- Don't fear underbidding: extra tricks earn nothing, but every shortcoming costs.
- At partners tables, adjust when you see your partner's bid: if they bid high, play to feed them tricks.
Auction Batak tables#
Auction Batak on batak.pro is free and needs no download: sit down at a table within seconds as a guest, no sign-up required. At classic tables everyone owns their bid; at partners tables you team up with the player across from you and your bids and points pool together. New to the game? Practice against bots at solo tables first.
See the Batak Rules page for the complete reference, or the How to Play guide for the step-by-step walkthrough.
How do you bid in auction Batak?
After the deal, all four players declare at the same time without seeing each other's numbers. A bid is 0 or between 3 and 13; there is no pass. All bids are revealed once everyone has declared.
What is the trump in auction Batak?
Spades (♠) are always trump. There is no trump call or trump auction; any spade played beats cards of the other three suits.
What happens if you miss your bid?
You go batak: ten times your bid is subtracted from your score. Bid 7 and take only 6 tricks, for example, and −70 goes on the sheet.
Is auction Batak free to play?
Yes. All auction Batak tables on batak.pro are free; no download or paid membership is needed and you can play instantly as a guest.
More: Batak rules · FAQ · play Batak