2.3.1 Deal

In this step, cards are dealt among the players. The remaining hidden cards are put away for now. The remaining cards are called the dog. Table Table 2.1 sums up the number of cards for each player.

Since there are 78 cards, we have $1, where $1 is the number of players, $1 is the number of cards for each player, and $1 is the number of cards for the dog.

Each player can see her cards, and only hers. No player can see the cards of the dog.

Since the petit is a very weak card (see The cards), if a player is dealt the petit without any other trumps and without the excuse, the deal is void and should be re-dealt. This situation is called $1 (or in French $1 or $1).

There are two ways of dealing cards: $1 game and $1 game. In a client game, only one specific player receives cards. In a server game however, all cards are dealt at once. So the so-called $1 event is the list of the 78 owners (one for each card, in the canonical card order – see section The cards).