Objective

L’Hombre is a card game for three players, although there are variants for four or more. The objective is to take more tricks than your opponents using strategic bidding and play. The game consists of several rounds, with players trying to score points by winning tricks.

Deck

A Spanish deck of 40 cards is used, consisting of four suits: Golds, Cups, Swords, and Clubs. Each suit contains cards from 1 to 7 and three face cards: Jack (11), Knight (12), and King (13). In some variations, a French deck without the 8, 9, and 10 cards is used.

Game Start

1. Each player receives 10 cards in a hidden hand.
2. Five cards are placed in the center as the Talon, with the top card flipped over.
3. The player to the left of the dealer starts the bidding for the right to play the hand. The highest bid wins and that player becomes "L'Hombre".

Bidding Phase

• Players can bid various contracts based on their hand strength, with the highest being "Solo" or "Grande", where the bidder attempts to take all tricks.
• If all players pass, the cards are reshuffled.

Playing the Game

• L’Hombre takes the Talon and discards the same number of cards.
• Depending on the highest bid made, the suits may shift in power (Kontradance) or may not have to be followed (Jeu), making certain cards more valuable or liberating the play.
• Players must follow suit if possible when a card is led; otherwise, they can play a trump or discard.

Scoring and Winning

At the end of a round, scoring is as follows: - The L'Hombre wins if they take more tricks than at least one opponent or all tricks, depending on the played contract. - Points are distributed based on the bid and the number of tricks taken.

L’Hombre is strategically complex and demands both tactical skill in bidding and careful play. It's important to accurately assess your opponents’ hands and skilfully manage your own cards to maximize success. Practice and experience greatly influence strategic development in the game.