Ireland's national card game. Fast, fun, and famously tricky card rankings.
Overview
Twenty-Five is a trick-taking card game for 2–10 players (best with 4–6).
Each player is dealt 5 cards, and the goal is to be the first player (or team)
to reach 25 points by winning tricks worth 5 points each.
What You Need
🃏1 standard 52-card deck
🤡Optional: 1 Joker (extra top trump — agree before play)
👥2–10 players (ideal: 4–6)
📝A way to keep score
Setup
Choose a dealer — cut the deck; lowest card deals (aces low for the cut).
Deal 5 cards to each player — deal in batches: either 3 then 2, or 2 then 3.
Turn up a trump card — after dealing, the dealer flips the next card face-up. Its suit is trumps for the hand.
Place the remaining deck face-down beside the turned-up card.
Card Rankings
This is the trickiest part of 25 and what makes it unique. Learn these and you'll pick up the game fast.
☘️ The Golden Rules
5 of trumps is always the highest card in the game
Jack of trumps is always the second highest
Joker is the third highest(only when playing with joker)
Ace of Hearts is ALWAYS a trump — #3 without joker, #4 with joker
For number cards: "Highest in red, lowest in black"
Trump Suit Rankings (High → Low)
Joker placement: If playing with the Joker, it slots in as #3 between the Jack and the Ace of Hearts in every row below.
Notice: When a black suit (♣/♠) is trump, the number cards run low to high (2, 3, 4…). When a red suit (♥/♦) is trump, they run high to low (10, 9, 8…).
Non-Trump Suit Rankings (High → Low)
Suit
Card Order (highest first)
♥ Hearts (not trump)
K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 (no Ace — it's always trump!)
♦ Diamonds (not trump)
K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A (Ace is the LOWEST!)
♣ Clubs (not trump)
K, Q, J, A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
♠ Spades (not trump)
K, Q, J, A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Key quirks:
The Ace of Hearts is never in the hearts non-trump ranking — it's always a trump.
The Ace of Diamonds is the lowest card in diamonds when diamonds aren't trumps.
Black Aces rank between the Jack and the 2 when their suit isn't trumps.
Robbing the Trump
After cards are dealt and the trump card is turned face-up:
If you hold the Ace of the trump suit, you may "rob" the turned-up trump card.
To rob: place any unwanted card from your hand face-down beside the deck, then take the turned-up trump into your hand (or leave it face-up and play it as if it were in your hand).
If the dealer turns up an Ace, the dealer may rob it (swap a card for the Ace).
You must rob before playing your first card — once you play, you lose the right.
Robbing is optional — you don't have to do it.
Playing a Hand
Leading
The player to the dealer's left leads the first trick by playing any card.
Following Suit
When a non-trump card is led:
You must either follow suit OR play a trump (you can always trump, even if you can follow suit!)
If you can't follow suit, you can play any card (trump or otherwise)
When a trump is led:
You must play a trump if you have one
Exception — Reneging: The top trumps have a special privilege — you can never be forced to play one of these cards unless someone leads a trump higher than yours.
Without Joker: Top 3 can renege — 5 of trumps, J of trumps, A♥
With Joker: Top 4 can renege — 5 of trumps, J of trumps, Joker, A♥
Important: The Ace of Hearts always counts as a trump for following suit, not as a heart.
Winning a Trick
The highest trump played wins the trick.
If no trumps are played, the highest card of the suit led wins.
The winner of each trick leads the next one.
Scoring
Event
Points
Each trick won
5 points
Win all 5 tricks from a standing start (no previous score)
Double stake (if playing for stakes)
Partners/teams combine their trick points.
First player or team to reach exactly 25 points wins.
The game usually takes 2–5 hands to complete.
Play stops immediately when someone reaches 25 — you don't need to finish the hand.
Team Play
With even numbers (4, 6, 8), players can form partnerships.
Partners sit opposite each other.
Partners' trick scores are combined.
Communication about your hand is not allowed — you must play based on what you see.
Quick Reference Card
TRUMP CARD RANKINGS#1 Five of Trumps (ALWAYS highest) #2 Jack of Trumps #3 Joker (if playing with) #4 Ace of Hearts (ALWAYS a trump) #5 Ace of Trumps (if not hearts) #6 King of Trumps #7 Queen of Trumps
Then number cards…
Red suits: high → low (10,9,8,7…)
Black suits: low → high (2,3,4,6,7…)
⚠ No 5 in the number run (it's #1!)
Without Joker: 5 → J → A♥ (top 3)
With Joker: 5 → J → Joker → A♥ (top 4)NON-TRUMP RANKINGS
K, Q, J then…
Red suits: 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2
Black suits: A,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
♥ Ace of Hearts → ALWAYS a trump ♦ Ace of Diamonds → LOWEST in diamonds
REMEMBER: "Highest in red, lowest in black"
Strategy Tips
🛡️ Protect Top Trumps
The 5 and Jack can renege, so don't waste them early.
🃏 Rob Wisely
If you have the Ace of trumps and the turned card is weak, you might choose not to rob.
⚔️ Lead Trumps
Lead trumps to flush out opponents' trumps if you have several strong ones.
👁️ Watch the Table
With 5 tricks per hand, every card matters. Count what's been played.
⏱️ Timing
Sometimes it's better to lose early tricks and win the crucial late ones.
🤝 Team Play
Help your partner win tricks; don't compete with them.
Common Mistakes
❌ Forgetting that A♥ is always a trump
❌ Thinking the Ace of Diamonds is high (it's the lowest non-trump diamond!)
❌ Playing black number cards in the wrong order (remember: low is high in black)
❌ Trying to force out the 5, Joker, or Jack of trumps with a low trump lead (they can renege!)
❌ Forgetting to rob before playing your first card
Glossary
Term
Meaning
Trump
The suit that beats all other suits for the hand
Trick / Lift
One round where each player plays one card
Rob
Exchange a card for the turned-up trump (only Ace of trumps holder can do this)
Renege
The right of the top trumps (5, J, Joker, A♥) to refuse to follow a lower trump lead