طرنيب Tarneeb

Tarneeb, commonly known as "rule" in the Arab Gulf states, is a popular card game enjoyed across Arab countries, particularly in the Levant region. The essence of Tarneeb lies in winning consecutive rounds, known as "Tarneeb groups." This game is typically played by four players, divided into two teams of two, with each team working collaboratively until the end of the groups to declare a winner.

Tarneeb uses a standard 52-card deck without Jokers. The game begins with the dealer distributing the cards starting from the player to their right. The bidding starts with the player to the left of the dealer, and the bidding process ranges from 7 to 13, also known as "Cabot" or "livers." Bidding progresses clockwise, starting from the player to the right of the dealer, and the highest bidder gets to choose the Tarneeb suit.

During the game, if a team fails to meet their bid, they face a penalty. For instance, if a team bids for 10 but only wins 9 tricks, they lose points equivalent to the difference between their bid and the number of tricks won, while the opposing team gains points for the tricks they collected. For example, if the bidding team wins 9 tricks and the opposing team wins 5 tricks, the bidding team's score is deducted, and the opposing team's score is credited accordingly.

The game concludes when one of the teams reaches a predetermined score, typically 61 or 31 points, based on prior agreement before the game starts.

In terms of card ranking, the hierarchy in Tarneeb is as follows:

• A (Ace or "Cut")
• K (King or "Sheikh")
• Q (Queen or "girl")
• J (Jack or "born")
• Then descending in order from 10 to 2.

This structured gameplay, combined with strategic bidding and team collaboration, makes Tarneeb a thrilling and competitive card game enjoyed by many in the Arab world.