1. Basra Card Game

For the tropical fruit Biriba, seeBiriba (Greek: Μπιρίμπα) is the partnership version of a rummy of Italian origin called.The Greek name comes probably from the Italian game Biribara, or Biribisso, or, even if this game is totally different (more similar to the roulette). It is played by two to six players, with two decks and 4 Jokers comprising 108 cards. If 6 players play, one more deck and two jokers more are added.

Biriba can also be played by three players with or without partnership rules. Contents.Basics While there are many variations of Biriba, the basic rules and objective are the same.

The player to the right of the dealer shuffles the cards and his partner cuts the deck (the starting dealer is selected by a random draw, the lowest card winning the privilege to receive cards and play first.) Eleven cards are dealt to each player while two other sets of 11 cards are also dealt by one of the opponents and put face down to the side. These cards (two secondary 11-card hands) are called Paketa ('packages' or 'parcels') or Biribakia (Greek for 'small Biribas'.) The objective of the game is to be the first player or team to surpass a pre-determined point total (commonly 2,500 or 3,000, based on the number of players.) Points are tabulated at the end of each round of play from the tableau played by each player/team.Play proceeds counter-clockwise; each player begins their turn by either drawing one single card from the deck, or collecting all of the cards in the discard pile. After drawing, the player may lay cards down in sets of at least three (either suited runs or groups of like-numbered cards.) Jokers and 2s (known as 'balladaires') are wild and may substitute for any card in such a set, and even be repositioned within that set. For instance, a player may lay down the four, five, and seven of hearts, with the two of clubs substituting for the six of hearts. If the player later draws the six of hearts, she may lay it in its correct position and move the two of clubs into the position of the three or the eight.

Each set (except for sets composed entirely of twos) may only contain one wild card, whether joker or deuce, although an in-suit two in its natural position does not count as wild or dirty. Once played, sets may not be connected or withdrawn back to the hand, and individual cards may not be removed from the table (therefore, any group dirtied with a joker or a non-suited two can never become clean.) The players complete their turns by placing one card from their hand into the discard pile (players can take no action and play no cards when it is not their turn.)When a player has melded all of the cards from his or her initial hand he then receives the top-most Paketo. If the player did not have to discard to empty their hand, they may continue play with their new cards; otherwise, their turn is complete and they must wait. The next goal is to 'close' the round by emptying their second hand.

The player who ends the round receives an additional 100 points. However the player must meet three conditions to close out: the player must have played at least one valid biriba, they must be able to discard a card, and if their hand is reduced to one card and the discard pile contains only one card they may not draw that card, connect either the new or held card, and discard. Points are calculated at the end of each round, and if no player or team has won another round is played with dealership and right-to-receive passed to the left. No information (other than score) is retained between rounds; new hands are dealt and a new atout is determined.Sets Below are the following sets in Biriba. Sets are either arranged the way a is arranged in or by using the same numbers or face cards.Biriba: a group containing at least seven cards.

If the set is consecutive suited cards then it is worth 200 points if there are no jokers ( kathari, which is Greek for 'clean', also Gnisia (pure) and Parthena (virgin)) are worth 100 points if there is a joker or a wild two ( vromiki, (dirty) or bastardemeni (bastard)). If the set is of like-numbers (seven threes, for instance,) then the Biriba is worth 300 points. However, if a joker or wild two are used in the meld then the value of the Biriba is halved, i.e. 150 points.Hiliara: A hiliara (Greek for 'thousand') consists of every suited consecutive card from Ace to King (or Ace to Two if the Ace is placed after the King). This set is worth 1,000 points.

Basra Card Game

However, if it is dirtied then it is considered a Pentakosara (Greek for 'five hundred') and it is worth 500 points. (see Venezuelan Version at the end of the Greek directions)Set Variations: In some parts of Cyprus a dirtied hiliara (pentakosara) biriba is not worth anything more than 100 (instead of 500) even though the statistical possibility of getting a pentakosara is very low meaning it should be worth more than 100. This variation together with others that downplay points from specific game sets makes the game more luck oriented instead of strategy oriented.Atout The suit of the first revealed card becomes the 'atout' suit (in case of a joker, the receiving player may choose a suit or declare no-trump.) A clean biriba is formed with this suit is worth 600 points rather than 200; a dirty atout biriba is halved to 300 points.

This presents a focus both for aggressive and defensive play; atout cards (especially the middle cards, 7 through 10,) are rarely voluntarily discarded, and all atout cards are guarded if an opponent is suspected of collecting them or nearing completion of a biriba. The rare hiliara biriba is still 1000 points (no extra points).Vulnerability If a player or team starts a round past a certain points threshold they may not lay down cards until the total of the first play surpasses a certain points value: for a score between 1000 - 1499 the played sets must be worth at least 75 points, and between 1500 - 2999 points the restriction is raised to 90 points.Card values After all the points from the sets are added (or subtracted if necessary), the points of each individual cards are added to the total score.

Each card is assigned a numerical point as follows.Joker: 20A: 15K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8 and 2: 107, 6, 5, 4, 3: 5Suits have no effect on the point value of each card.Note: Biriba has so many variations that even the point system varies by a factor of 10. Below the non-decimal points are used as they are deemed more convenient. Bonus and Penalty points If a player manages to discard his paketo then the round ends and he gets a bonus of 100 points. Everyone else is penalized by adding the points of the cards they have in hands. If a player has not progressed to the biribakia, being still in the first hand, he is penalized another 100 points (in the case that the round ends after a player has acquired a Biribaki, but before he or she has had a chance to play the hand, the total penalty is 100 points for the un-played hand, regardless of the point totals of the cards contained within).

If the players run out of cards all points must be tallied. If either player has not received their respective biribakia, each player is penalized 100 points. The last player is the one to pick up the final card from the deck.Variations Three-handed Biriba The game is the same as for four players, with the following differences:. The first biribaki consists of 18 cards, the second of 11.

The one who 'closes' first, and takes the first biribaki, has the other two players as a team against him for the hand.

Barbooth, also called barbotte, or barbudi, dice game of Middle Eastern origin, used for gambling; in the United States it is played chiefly by persons of Greek or Jewish ancestry. The shooter casts two dice (traditionally miniature dice). If he throws 3–3, 5–5, 6–6, or 6–5, he wins; if he throws 1–1, 2–2, 4–4, or 1–2, he loses.

Other combinations are meaningless. A second player (the fader) sets stakes in betting against the shooter and alternates with him in casting the dice.

Other players may make side bets on whether the shooter or the fader will win. The game is even, shooter and fader having exactly equal chances of winning.

When banked by a house (in place of the fader), the official responsible (the cutter) charges a percentage on each bet, usually 5 percent, in order to make a profit. This article was most recently revised and updated by, Associate Editor.