Black Queen with 10 players: how a big table changes the game

22 October 2026 · about 4 minutes to read

Black Queen is a game for 4 to 10 players, and a full table does not play quite like a small one. The deck grows, the points grow, and the secret partner can turn into two or three. This is exactly what changes, and what to watch for. If you are new to the game, start with the basic rules.

More players, more decks

To keep every player's hand the same size, the lowest cards (the 2s, diamonds and clubs first) are set aside so the cards divide evenly. Past 7 players the table also adds decks, so everyone still gets a good hand:

The points are the same as always: each 5 is worth 5, each 10 is worth 10, each Ace is worth 15, and the Queen of Spades is worth 30. With two or three decks, every card exists twice or three times, so the highest possible bid is 300 or 450.

How many partners?

This is where a big table really differs. The number of cards the bidder names depends on the number of players:

At 8 to 10 players there is only one named card, but it exists two or three times, so everyone who holds a copy is a partner. If the bidder holds every copy themselves, they have no partner and play alone against the whole table.

As always, nobody announces anything. You learn who a partner is when they play the named card. At a big table, that can happen two or three times in one hand.

What changes in the play

• Identical cards can tie. With several decks, two players can play the exact same card in a trick. The one played first wins.
• Bids are bigger. Bidding works as before, clockwise, raise or pass, with no minimum, but the numbers on the table are 300 or 450 instead of 150.
• The reveal is a process. At a small table the reveal is one moment. At a big table, partners show themselves one at a time, and the teams keep changing shape until the last copy is played.

Five tips for a full table

1. Count the copies. If the called card exists three times, keep track of how many have appeared. It tells you how many partners are still hidden.
2. If you hold a copy, you are a partner, and only you know it. Decide when to reveal it. Playing the card early helps your side coordinate, but it also tells the defenders who they are fighting.
3. Going alone is an option. If you win the auction and hold every copy of the card you name, you play against everyone, and only the points you capture yourself count toward your bid. It is a bold plan, and it works best with a very strong hand.
4. Expect longer hands. More players means more tricks to track. Watch the points that have gone by, especially the Aces and the Black Queen.
5. Do not overbid. Large numbers look tempting at a big table, but a bid is still a promise to the whole table.

These are rules of thumb, not guarantees.

Playing a full table online

• A table holds up to 10 players. Choose the number of seats when you create it, then share the link or the room code.
• Empty seats can be filled with bots, so a table of ten can be a few friends and a few bots.
• Each move has 60 seconds. If time runs out, the server plays for you, and if you stay away a bot takes your seat until you come back.
• On Discord, a voice call of ten is a full table. Start Black Queen from the call and everyone lands at the same table. See how to play Black Queen on Discord.

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