How Kaiser is scored
Each trick is a point, the 5 of hearts adds 5 and the 3 of spades takes away 3, so a hand is worth 10. If the bidders take at least their bid they score what they took; if not they lose the bid. In no trump the bidders' score is doubled either way. The other side scores what it took, unless it already has 45 or more: then it can't add points on defense, though a minus hand still counts.
| Variant | Per hand | Bids | Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser (to 52) | 8 tricks, 5 of hearts +5, 3 of spades −3 | 6 to 12 | 52 |
| Kaiser, Saskatchewan (52, then 62) | 8 tricks, 5 of hearts +5, 3 of spades −3 | 7 to 12 | 52, 62 after no trump |
| Kaiser to 52, 64 after no trump | 8 tricks, 5 of hearts +5, 3 of spades −3 | 6 to 12 | 52, 64 after no trump |
Example: three hands
Us bid 8 no trump and took 5 tricks and the 5 of hearts: 10 points, doubled, +20. Them took 3 tricks and the 3 of spades: 0. Them then bid 7 and took 3 points: set, minus 7, while Us score their 7. Last, Them bid 8 and took 10 points: +10. After three hands it is Us 27, Them 3. Open this example.
Questions people ask
How do you score Kaiser?
Count a point per trick, add 5 for the 5 of hearts and take 3 off for the 3 of spades. Bidders who reach their bid score what they took; otherwise they lose the bid. No trump doubles the bidders either way. The other side scores what it took.
What is the 45 rule in Kaiser?
Once a side has 45 or more it can only gain points by bidding: points it takes on defense don't count, but a minus hand on defense still does. pagat also lists a 47 limit, where a side at 47 or more wins by taking the 5 of hearts from the bidders. Both are settings.
Does no trump double the other team's points?
No. Only the bidders' score is doubled in no trump, whether they make it or are set. The other side scores what it took, as usual.
What score wins Kaiser?
52 under pagat's main rules. In Saskatchewan a made no-trump bid raises it to 62, and some play 64. Some also say a side at minus 52 loses. All three are settings.
Can your score go negative in Kaiser?
Yes. A set costs the bid (double in no trump), and a side that takes the 3 of spades with fewer than 3 tricks scores below zero for that hand.
Can it score Kaiser for 3, 5 or 6 players?
Yes. Three or five play each for themselves, and six can play three teams of two or two teams of three, as pagat describes.
Rules from pagat.com Kaiser, including its 34-card, target score and bid-to-win variations. House rules vary; where sources disagree the choice is yours in the rules.