Official Rules Guide

How to Play Mindi (Mendicot)

Everything you need to master India's premier 4-player trick-taking card game.

4 Players

2 vs 2 Teams

104 Cards

2 Standard Decks

8 Dahlas

1 Point Each

5 Points

To Win Hand

1Overview & Objective

Mindi (commonly spelled Mendicot, Mendi Coat, or known in northern India as Dehla Pakad, meaning "catch the tens") is played by four players seated in two fixed partnerships opposite one another.

The primary goal is for your team to capture as many Tens (Dahlas) as possible across 26 tricks. There are 8 tens in play. Capturing 5 or more tens guarantees victory for the round.

2The Deal & Card Hierarchy

Two standard 52-card decks are thoroughly shuffled together, creating a 104-card double deck without any jokers. Every player receives 26 cards.

Card Rank within a Suit (Highest to Lowest)

A (High)>K>Q>J>10 (Dahla)>9>8>7>6>5>4>3>2 (Low)

Tie Priority Rule: When two identical winning cards from different decks are played into the same trick (e.g. both players play the Ace of Spades), the card played first chronologically wins the trick.

3Trump (Hukum) Declaration: First-Void Rule

In traditional Mindi, the game starts with no active trump suit. The player to the dealer's left leads the first trick.

Must Follow Suit

Every player holding cards in the led suit MUST play that suit.

Void & "Mindi!" Call

The first player with zero cards of the led suit declares "Mindi!" and their team chooses the Trump suit!

4Scoring & Match Victory

A total of 9 points are available in every hand:

88 Dahlas = 8 Points: 1 point for each 10 captured in any trick.
1Trick 26 = 1 Bonus Point: The winner of the 26th trick receives +1 decisive point.

Pro Strategy Tips for Mindicot

• Watch the Dahlas: Avoid discarding a 10 unless your partner has already secured the highest winning card.
• Signal Your Partner: Notice what suits your partner voids first to help them trump future leads.
• Save High Trumps: Don't burn your Aces and Kings of trump early on empty tricks with no 10s.
• Track Trick 26: In a 4–4 tie, the final trick decides the match. Hold a high card for the endgame!