How many points in Barbu? Contracts, scoring table and the salad
- Cards
- 32 or 52
- Contracts
- 5 to 7
- The Barbu
- The king of hearts
- Winner
- Lowest total
In short
In Barbu, each round is a penalty contract: no tricks (points per trick), no hearts (points per heart), no queens (points per queen), no Barbu (the king of hearts), and the salad that combines everything. The scoring table varies by table — for example 2 per trick, 5 per heart, 25 per queen and 80 for the Barbu. The lowest total wins.
Names. Barbu (also spelt Le Barbu or Tafferan) is a French compendium game, known in English bridge circles under the same name. The five-contract family version described here is the common one; the seven-contract tournament version adds positive contracts. There is no English rulebook, so the French contract names are given with their meaning.
How it works
Barbu is a sequence of contracts, each defining what you must avoid taking in your tricks. In the full version, each player deals in turn and chooses the order of the contracts; in the most-played family version, you play five rounds in a fixed order, once each: no tricks, no hearts, no queens, no Barbu, then the salad that combines everything.
The contracts and the scoring table
There is no official scoring table: every family has its own. The table gives a common one, and the counter lets you set every value at the start of the game.
| Contract | What to avoid | Common value |
|---|---|---|
| No tricks (“pas de plis”) | Each trick taken | 2 per trick |
| No hearts (“pas de cœurs”) | Each heart taken | 5 per heart |
| No queens (“pas de dames”) | Each queen taken | 25 per queen |
| No Barbu (“pas de barbu”) | The king of hearts | 80 |
| Salad (“salade”) | Everything above, combined | Sum of the values |
A round has at most 13 tricks (with 52 cards), 13 hearts, 4 queens and a single king of hearts: the total of each contract is known in advance, which lets you check the count.
The contracts of the full version
- No last two tricks: the penultimate trick costs points, the last one costs double.
- Dominoes (“réussite”): a positive contract where you get rid of your cards by building sequences; the first to finish scores the most.
- Trumps (“atout”): a positive contract played like Belote, where each trick scores points.
With these contracts, the game has 7 contracts × 4 dealers = 28 rounds, and players may double the dealer on each contract to double the points between them.
How to score
- At the end of a round, each player counts the forbidden cards they took (tricks, hearts, queens, king of hearts).
- Multiply by the round’s value and add to the player’s total.
- After the salad (last round), the player with the fewest points wins.
Example: in “no tricks” at 2 points per trick, John takes 5 tricks and scores 10 points. In the salad, a player who takes 3 tricks, 4 hearts, 1 queen and the king of hearts scores 6 + 20 + 25 + 80 = 131.
Variants
- Belgian scoring: 1 per trick, 1 per heart (the ace 2), 6 per queen, 20 for the Barbu.
- 32-card Barbu: 8 tricks per round, adjusted values.
- Salad last or first: some tables open with the salad to finish on the simple contracts.
- Positive points: in the full version, dominoes and trumps score points; the counter is designed for the penalty version.
Common mistakes
- Counting more than 13 hearts or more than 4 queens: in a round: impossible, someone miscounted.
- Forgetting that the salad combines everything: a trick taken costs the tricks, hearts, queens and Barbu it contains.
- Changing the scoring table mid-game: set it before the first round.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Barbu in the game of Barbu?
The king of hearts. Taking it in the “no Barbu” contract costs the biggest penalty, often 80 points with a 2/5/25/80 table.
How many rounds in Barbu?
Five in the family version (tricks, hearts, queens, Barbu, salad), up to 28 in the full version where each player deals each contract.
Who wins at Barbu?
The player with the fewest points after the last round: all penalties add up.
What is the salad?
The round in which all the penalty contracts apply at once: tricks, hearts, queens and the king of hearts all count.
Is the scoring table fixed?
No, it varies by table. The counter lets you set each value at the start of the game and remembers your table.
Score with the app
The Barbu counter on How many points? applies these rules for you: enter each player’s score at the end of the round and it handles totals, ranking, game end and the winner. Players are saved with their photo, game history is kept, and everything works offline, with no account.
Barbu is a traditional French game: rules vary by region and by table. This page describes the most widespread practice.
Published on 13 October 2026.