Do you have to rob in 25?

If you're the dealer and the turn-up card is an Ace, yes — you must rob immediately, before any player takes their first turn. If you hold the Ace of Trump as a non-dealer, robbing must be done at the start of your first turn.

When does a non-dealer rob in 25?

At the start of their first turn that hand. They place a card face-down on the deck and take the turn-up card (the trump) into their hand. Robbing must be done before they play to a trick.

Can you rob with the Ace of Hearts?

No. Only the Ace of the actual trump suit can rob. The Ace of Hearts is a trump card, but it's not the trump-suit Ace unless Hearts was turned up.

What card should you discard when robbing?

Almost always your weakest card — typically a low non-trump. The point of robbing is to upgrade your hand, so you discard the card you were least likely to win a trick with.

Is robbing always a good idea?

You must rob, and robbing is almost always beneficial. It is very rare to have a hand with 5 better trump cards than the card you are going to receive - but it does happen. But in that rare case, it means you should be able to win a jink (all 5 tricks) anyways.

Articles February 21, 2025

Robbing in 25: How and When to Take the Trump Card

How robbing works in the Irish card game Twenty-Five — when the dealer must rob, when other players may, and the strategy behind the move.

In the Irish card game Twenty-Five, “robbing” is a special move that occurs when a player holds the Ace of Trump. At the start of their turn, the player with the Ace of Trump must discard another card from their hand in exchange for the trump card displayed on the deck — effectively “robbing” the trump.

If the dealer turns up an Ace as the trump card, they must rob immediately (before any player starts their turn) by discarding another card, turning it face-down on the table, and adding the Ace to their hand.

Typically, players choose to discard their worst card in exchange for the Ace of Trump, but they are allowed to discard any card in their hand — they could even discard the Ace of Trump itself, although that would never be a good strategy (since the Ace of Trump is the fourth best card).

After robbing, players might be confused as to what the trump suit or trump card was, since it is no longer on the table. While it’s best to pay close attention to what was trump, it is normal and generally acceptable to ask what suit or card was trump in a casual game.

Robbing brings a strategic twist, enhancing the advantage of holding high-value trumps. Much of the benefit comes from surprising players who played before you robbed, and from adding the trump card to your hand. But since all the players saw what the trump card was, they now know that you hold both the Ace of Trump and the trump card — so there are drawbacks to robbing, too.

Frequently asked

Do you have to rob in 25?: If you're the dealer and the turn-up card is an Ace, yes — you must rob immediately, before any player takes their first turn. If you hold the Ace of Trump as a non-dealer, robbing must be done at the start of your first turn.
When does a non-dealer rob in 25?: At the start of their first turn that hand. They place a card face-down on the deck and take the turn-up card (the trump) into their hand. Robbing must be done before they play to a trick.
Can you rob with the Ace of Hearts?: No. Only the Ace of the actual trump suit can rob. The Ace of Hearts is a trump card, but it's not the trump-suit Ace unless Hearts was turned up.
What card should you discard when robbing?: Almost always your weakest card — typically a low non-trump. The point of robbing is to upgrade your hand, so you discard the card you were least likely to win a trick with.
Is robbing always a good idea?: You must rob, and robbing is almost always beneficial. It is very rare to have a hand with 5 better trump cards than the card you are going to receive - but it does happen. But in that rare case, it means you should be able to win a jink (all 5 tricks) anyways.

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