The games · Coolhand Cards

Tarneeb

The partnership game of the Levant, played across the Arab world. Bid for how many tricks your side will take, and the last bidder standing names trumps.

Players: 4
Family: Bidding Games
App: Coolhand Cards · iOS and Android, soon

How it goes

Your partner sits opposite. Fifty-two cards, ace high, thirteen each. Starting left of whoever dealt, each player in turn bids a number of tricks, seven to thirteen, higher than the bid standing, or passes. A pass is final for the hand. If everyone passes, the cards are dealt again. The last bidder left names trumps, a suit that beats the rest, or no trumps, and leads. A trick is one card each. Follow suit if you can, otherwise play anything. The highest trump wins the trick, else the highest card of the suit led. Make your bid and your side scores the tricks it took, and the other side scores nothing. Fall short and you lose the bid, and the other side scores its tricks. The first side to thirty-one wins.

A good hand

A long suit with its top cards in it: trumps are named only after the auction, and the winner picks the suit that suits their hand. Count your sure tricks, aces and kings with length behind them, then allow for a trick or two from your partner. Every trick beyond the bid still scores, so keep taking them. Take all thirteen on a lower bid and it scores sixteen. Bid thirteen and make it, and it scores twenty-six.

The usual mistake

Bidding on cards your partner may not hold. Fall short and the whole bid comes off your score, and the other side scores its tricks as well. Thirteen is the steepest fall: miss by a single trick and it costs sixteen, while the other side scores double its tricks. Passing a strong hand early, since a pass is final and hands the choice of trumps to someone else. And trumping a trick your partner already holds.

Played differently where you are?

Card games change from table to table, and we researched some of these games instead of playing them. If Tarneeb goes differently where you play it, tell us. That's one of the things the closed beta is for.

The closed beta is by invitation. How to ask to join.