How to Play

Basra is the iconic Arab fishing card game where players capture floor cards by matching ranks or summing pip values. The Jack sweeps everything and the [7♦] sweeps when the floor sums to 10 or less.

Basra (also Bastra) is the dominant fishing card game across the Arab world, played daily from Cairo coffee houses to Beirut family rooms. Each player tries to capture table cards by playing a hand card whose rank matches a single table card or whose pip value equals the sum of several table cards. The Jack is a power card that captures every card on the table, and the sweeps everything when the table sums to 10 or less. Capturing every card on the table at once with a single non-Jack play scores a basra (sweep) bonus of 10 points. Hands of 4 are dealt repeatedly until the 52-card deck is used up; final scoring rewards majority of cards, plus the 10♦, 2♣, every Ace, every Jack, and each basra. The first side to 101 points across rounds wins the match.

Players

2, 3, or 4 players. Two players play heads-up, four play in two fixed partnerships sitting opposite, three play cutthroat (each for themselves). Partnership Basra is the most strategic and most commonly played form. Deal rotates anti-clockwise after each full deck.

Card Deck

One standard 52-card deck, no jokers. Numeral cards 2-10 carry their pip value (Ace = 1) for capture sums. Court cards used for matching only: Jacks capture by special rule, Queens capture only Queens, Kings capture only Kings; they have no pip value for sums. Suits are irrelevant for capture except in the special role of the . Scoring bonuses attach to the , , every Ace, every Jack, and each basra.

Objective

Capture more cards (and more bonus cards) than your opponents over a series of full-deck rounds. Win the match by being the first to reach 101 points (sometimes 151 in tournament play).

Setup and Deal

1. Choose first dealer by drawing for the lowest card. Dealer shuffles, the player to the dealer's right cuts.
2. Dealer deals 4 cards to each player anti-clockwise (one at a time), then deals 4 cards face up to the table (the 'floor').
3. Floor inspection: Before play begins, if the floor contains any Jacks or the , the dealer buries those cards in the middle of the remaining deck and replaces them face up from the top of the deck. This is repeated until the floor has no Jacks or (those cards would otherwise allow an unfair instant sweep on trick one).7♦7♦
4. Set the remaining 36 cards face down beside the table as the stock.
5. Once each round of 4 cards is played out, deal another 4 cards to every player from the stock (no further floor cards are dealt). Continue until the stock is exhausted; the final hand is dealt and played out.
6. The player who captures the last card of the deal also captures any cards remaining on the floor at the end (no basra bonus for this).

Gameplay

1. Play begins with the player to the dealer's right and proceeds anti-clockwise. Each player on their turn plays one card from hand face up.
2. Matching capture: A numeral card captures any single floor card of the same rank (e.g., a 5 captures a 5). A Queen captures only Queens; a King captures only Kings.
3. Sum capture: A numeral card captures any combination of floor numeral cards whose pip values sum exactly to its rank (Ace counts as 1). For example, a played 8 captures a 5 and a 3, or a 6 and an Ace and an Ace, on the table.
4. Multiple captures in one play: If your card both matches a single rank and sums to that same rank with other cards, you may take all of them. For example, a played 7 may take a single 7 plus a 4 and a 3 on the floor in the same play.
5. Jack: Playing a Jack captures every card currently on the floor regardless of rank or value. If the floor is empty when a Jack is played, the Jack is simply placed on the floor as a trail and may be captured later. A Jack capture is not a basra unless it picks up exactly one card.J♠
6. (special): When the is played, if the total pip value of the floor cards is 10 or less (counting only numeral cards by face value, with court cards contributing 0), the captures the entire floor as a basra. Otherwise the is played as a normal 7 that captures matching 7s or sums of 7.7♦7♦7♦7♦
7. Trailing: If you cannot or choose not to capture, you must play one card from your hand face up to the floor. The card stays available for future capture.
8. Capture pile: Place captured cards face down in front of you (or your partnership). The played card goes on top of the captured pile.
9. End of hand-batch: When all 4 cards in every hand have been played, deal a fresh batch of 4 from the stock until the stock runs out.
10. End of deal: After the last card of the last hand is played, the remaining floor cards (if any) go to whoever made the most recent capture (or, by some house rules, are split between the players).

Scoring

• Cards majority: The player or partnership who captured the most cards (28 or more out of 52) scores 30 points. If exactly 26-26, no points for cards (split).
• (mishtara): 3 points to the capturer.10♦
• (baghbough): 2 points to the capturer.2♣
• Each Ace: 1 point each (4 Aces = 4 points distributed).
• Each Jack: 1 point each (4 Jacks = 4 points distributed).
• Each basra: 10 points (a basra is capturing all cards on the floor at once with a non-Jack card; a Jack play earns a basra only if the floor had exactly one card before the Jack was played).
• Match target: First side to 101 points across multiple deals wins. Tournament play often uses 151.
• Total points available per deal: 30 + 3 + 2 + 4 + 4 = 43 plus 10 per basra (basras are the main swing).

Winning

• Deal: Whoever scores the most points in that deal wins the deal.
• Match: First to reach 101 points (or 151 in tournament play) wins.
• Tie: If both sides reach the target in the same deal, the side with the higher running score wins. If still tied, play one more deal between the tied sides.
• Last-card rule: The capture of the floor at the end of the deal is not a basra unless made by a normal capture in the last play.

Common Variations

• Egyptian Basra: Uses the sweep rule described above; the most widespread form.7♦
• Lebanese Basra: A basra requires exact single-card rank match (sums do not count); drops the special role.7♦
• Iraqi Basra: Counts the as 6 points and the basra as 5 points; lower variance per deal.10♦
• Three-handed cutthroat: Each plays for themselves; the basra rule and bonus cards are unchanged.
• Partnership Basra: Captures and bonuses are pooled per side; partners share a single capture pile.
• Two-card basra: A house rule that a Jack played to capture exactly two floor cards still scores a basra (rather than only one).

Tips and Strategy

• Save Jacks for moments when the floor is large and full of bonus cards (10♦, 2♣, Aces). A Jack sweep of 6+ cards is the highest-value single play in the game.10♦2♣
• Avoid trailing a card that lets the next player make a basra (sweeping the entire floor). If only one card sits on the floor, do not trail another card of the same rank.
• When the is in your hand, watch the floor's running total. If you can manipulate the floor down to 10 or fewer pips, you secure a basra with the 7♦.7♦
• In partnership play, communicate by leading suits or numbers your partner can build sums with on their next turn.
• Track the four Jacks; once all are played, no more table sweeps by Jack are possible and the basra bonuses become almost entirely non-Jack opportunities.
• Don't capture for capture's sake. Sometimes leaving a single Ace or 2♣ on the table forces the opponent to bury it under their own trail, costing them their advantage.2♣

Glossary

• Floor (saha): The face-up cards in the centre of the table available for capture.
• Capture pile: The face-down stack of cards a player has captured during the deal.
• Trail: Playing a card to the floor without capturing.
• Match capture: Capturing a single floor card of the same rank as the played card.
• Sum capture: Capturing a group of floor numeral cards whose pip total equals the played card's rank.
• Jack power: The Jack's ability to capture all floor cards regardless of rank.
• sweep: Playing the seven of diamonds when the floor pip total is 10 or less captures the entire floor as a basra.7♦
• Basra (sweep): Capturing all floor cards in one play with a non-Jack card; scores 10 points.
• Mishtara (): Worth 3 points to the capturer.10♦
• Baghbough (): Worth 2 points to the capturer.2♣