Belote (Game)

Belote (French pronunciation: [bəlɔt]) is a 32-card, trick-taking, ace–ten game played primarily in Croatia and certain European countries, namely Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Cyprus, Georgia (mainly Guria), Greece, Luxembourg, Moldova, Macedonia (mainly Bitola), Bosnia and Herzegovina and also in Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. It is one of the most popular card games in those countries, and the national card game of France, both casually and in gambling. It appeared around 1900 in France, and is a close relative of both Klaberjass (also known as bela) and klaverjas. Closely related games are played throughout the world. Definitive rules of the game were first published in French in 1921. Within the game's terminology, belote is used to designate a pair of a king and a queen of a trump suit, possibly yielding the game's name itself. Variations on the game include belot in eastern Europe, baloot in Saudi Arabia, and pilotta in Cyprus.