Other name(s): Chkoba
The setup
- Remove jokers from the card deck.
- Divide the deck evenly among the players. If there are four players, each player receives 13 cards.
- Determine the partnerships. Players sitting opposite each other usually form partnerships.
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How to play
- The player to the dealer’s right begins by playing a card face up in the center of the playing area. This card is called the “lead card.”
- Moving in a clockwise direction, each player must play a card of the same suit if possible. If they don’t have a card of the same suit, they can play any other card.
- The player who played the highest card of the lead suit or the highest trump card, if any were played, wins the trick. They collect the played cards and lead the next round.
- If a player cannot follow suit and plays a trump card, they capture the trick even if it was won by another player’s card of the lead suit.
- The game continues until all the cards have been played.
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How to win
- After all the cards have been played, each partnership counts the number of tricks they won.
- The goal of the game is to win as many points as possible.
- In Chkobba, specific cards have point values: the Ace is worth 11 points, the 10 is worth 10 points, the King is worth 4 points, the Queen is worth 3 points, and the Jack is worth 2 points.
- The partnership that has accumulated the most points from tricks wins the round.
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Game variations
- Chkobba has several variations in different regions. For example, some versions include additional point values for certain cards or sets of cards.
- The number of players can also vary, with the game sometimes played with three players or even more than four players.
- Some variations include rules for bidding or calling trump suits before the start of the game.
