There is no single worldwide rulebook for Kout. Every official tournament publishes its own rules sheet, and what counts in one diwaniya may not count in the next. Here are the rules most tournaments tend to agree on, so read your event's own sheet before the first trick.
Most tournaments play with four fixed players. Partners sit opposite each other, with the two opponents between them, and the team stays the same for the whole event. Swapping a player mid-tournament is usually not allowed unless the organiser agrees.
Deck size is not identical everywhere. Some tournaments use the full deck, others remove certain cards. As a rule, the organisers announce the deck size before play starts, and any disagreement is settled by the rules sheet, not by argument at the table.
Tournaments usually decide the first dealer by draw or by the organiser, and then the deal rotates in a fixed order, so every player deals once before it comes back around. Following the rotation keeps things fair and stops disputes.
Calling hakam, the trump suit, is the key moment of each round. The declaring player must call hakam or sun clearly and loud enough for the table to hear, and the call cannot be changed once play begins. If there is any doubt, the referee or organiser decides.
Each tournament sets its penalty in advance: it may be a warning, a points deduction, or losing the round to the opponents. The point is not to punish a player but to keep the result fair for both sides. Typical mistakes that carry a penalty include:
Most tournaments have a scorekeeper, and each team reports its result at the end of every round so the standings stay accurate. Clear recording prevents disputes at the end of the event. The Kout Score app helps you calculate and track scores of Kout sessions, and it is available for free on Google Play.
Timing is part of the rules. Tournaments usually set a maximum time per round or per trick, and deliberate delays can be penalised. Playing at a steady pace helps you and everyone else at the table.
Remember that these are the rules tournaments most often agree on, not a universal law. Kout Score helps you calculate and track scores of Kout sessions before and after any tournament. Download it and follow your results in an organised way: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.q8dm.kout