Melds in Klammern & Belote: Terz, Quart, Quint, Belle

1. What Are Melds?

Melds are specific card combinations in your hand that earn bonus points. They are revealed during the first trick of the round. There are two main categories:

• Sequences: Consecutive cards of the same suit (Terz, Quart, Quint)
• Four of a Kind (Carré): Four cards of the same rank
• Belle (Belote-Rebelote): King and Queen of the trump suit

In Klammern, these bonus points are added to the trick points and can make the difference between the base 162 total points and a much higher score.

2. Terz / Tierce — 20 Points

A Terz (French: Tierce) consists of three consecutive cards of the same suit. It is the most common meld and is worth 20 bonus points.

The card order for melds is: 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace. Even in the trump suit, the normal order applies for melds — not the trump hierarchy (Jappa/Mie).

3. Quart / Cinquante — 50 Points

A Quart (French: Cinquante) consists of four consecutive cards of the same suit. At 50 bonus points, it is a real game-changer — nearly a third of the 162 total points!

A Quart is less common than a Terz, but thanks to its 50 points it can rescue an otherwise lost round.

4. Quint / Cent — 100 Points

The Quint (French: Cent) consists of five consecutive cards of the same suit. At 100 bonus points, it is extremely rare and almost always decides the game.

With a 32-card deck and 8 cards per hand, a Quint is possible but very unlikely. If you have one, always take the trump!

5. Four of a Kind / Carré

Four cards of the same rank form a Carré (Four of a Kind). The point value depends on the rank of the cards:

In Klammern, Four Jacks are worth 200 and Four Nines are worth 150; all other Four of a Kind score 100 points. A Carré always outranks any sequence and wins when comparing melds.

6. Belle / Belote-Rebelote — 20 Points

The Belle (in Belote: Belote-Rebelote) is a special meld: King and Queen of the trump suit in one hand = 20 bonus points.

Combined with the trump trick points, Belle is especially valuable. King (4) + Queen (3) as trick points plus 20 Belle points make a total of 27 points from just two cards.

7. Who Gets to Declare? The Comparison Rules

When multiple players hold melds, the following rules apply:

This means even a small Terz from your partner counts if you hold the highest meld at the table. Teamwork pays off!

8. Using Melds Strategically

Melds should factor into every strategic decision:

• Trump selection: Do you have a Quart in one suit? It may be worth choosing that suit as trump — 50 bonus points are an enormous head start.
• Taking in borderline cases: If your hand is marginal for taking trump but you hold a Terz or Quart, take it! The meld points tip the balance.
• Weighing the Kontra risk: Keep in mind that the opponents might hold melds. Calling Kontra in close situations is risky when an enemy meld could shift the points.
• Don't forget Belle: If you hold the King and Queen of trump, that is 20 guaranteed bonus points. Factor them into your calculation.
• Hand management: Sometimes it pays to hold back cards from a sequence rather than playing them right away — the meld is automatically counted at the first trick.

Melds Compared: Klammern vs. Belote

As you can see, the melds in Klammern and Belote are nearly identical — only the names differ. If you master one game, you will feel right at home in the other.