Thousand is an exciting trick-taking game usually played by three people. It helps develop logical and strategic thinking as well as intuition. The goal is to score one thousand points over several rounds using tricks and card combinations. The secret to winning lies in the ability to plan several moves ahead and make decisions that yield the greatest advantage. We recommend starting with a detailed study of the rules, basic tactics, and strategies that you can immediately apply in practice and refine while playing live games with opponents.
How to Play 1000 Correctly
Let’s figure out how to play the card game Thousand, starting with the basics. The deck consists of 24 cards — from aces down to nines. Each player is dealt seven cards, and the remaining ones form the talon. After that comes the bidding phase, where players declare how many points they intend to score during the round. The winner of the bidding takes the talon and passes two unwanted cards to the others. The number of cards in the talon depends on the number of players. The main goal is to collect the number of points you declared by winning tricks. Each card has its own value: ace – 11 points, ten – 10, king – 4, queen – 3, jack – 2, and nine – 0. Additional points are earned for specific card combinations — kings and queens of the same suit, or the rare four aces. These are called marriages:
- Ace marriage — 200 points
- Hearts — 100
- Diamonds — 80
- Clubs — 60
- Spades — 40
To activate or “announce” a marriage, the player must win a trick and then play one of the cards from the combination. The suit of the announced king and queen becomes the trump suit. You can announce more than one marriage during a game — each new one changes the trump suit. If a player fails to reach the number of points declared during bidding, the missing amount is deducted as a penalty — even if only one point short.
Different Variations of Playing 1000
There are several variations that adjust the rules based on the number of participants. The standard version is for three players — the classic setup. The 24-card deck is dealt 7 cards each, with 3 cards left for the talon. To play Thousand with two players, each gets 10 cards, and the remaining ones are placed into two piles face down — these are the talons to choose from. The bidding winner picks one pile at random and replaces it with two unwanted cards. Bidding and gameplay continue as usual.
There’s also a four-player variation. The fourth player acts as the dealer — they deal the cards and set the talon aside for the bidding winner but don’t participate in the round. Players rotate each round so everyone gets a chance to score. Regardless of the variant, the most important part is the bidding. Based on your cards, you must decide how many points you can realistically earn that round. If you misjudge, all declared points become negative. So study your cards carefully and calculate each move. If you have a weak hand, it’s often wiser to pass.
Specific Rules and Terms in Thousand
There are a few special rules and terms every beginner should know. For example, a “marriage” is a key card combination. It yields the most points and can completely change the game if used correctly. Based on what a marriage is, always make sure to have at least one in your hand before bidding. If not, you might still get lucky and draw one from the talon — though that’s a gamble and could backfire. Some players may wonder what the heart queen means in the context of the rules and scoring. By itself, it means nothing — but paired with the heart king, it forms the highest-value marriage.
It’s also helpful to understand what a “kon” is — it’s a single round, from the deal to the scoring. A full cycle of rounds is called a circle. There’s also a special feature called the “golden kon.” It can be played at the start of the circle, giving each player a chance to take part. The player must agree or refuse to score 120 points blind — without looking at their cards. If successful, they get 240 points; if not, that amount becomes a penalty. For the other players, all their points are doubled regardless of the leader’s outcome. If no one reaches 120 points, the total score resets and the game restarts.
If a player takes no tricks during a round, they receive a “bolt” or “stick” — a horizontal mark on the score sheet. After three bolts, the player loses 120 points. Sometimes players agree on stricter penalties, for example deducting 120 points for each bolt. This game is highly flexible — many of its rules can be customized to make it more challenging or interesting for experienced players.
