طرنيب Tarneeb

Blackjack, known as Tarneeb in Arab countries particularly in the Levant region, is a popular card game. Referred to as "Rule" in Gulf countries, this strategic game pits two teams of two players each in competitive play until one emerges victorious by winning consecutive Tarneeb rounds.

Using a standard 52-card deck (excluding Jokers), gameplay begins with the player to the dealer's left initiating bids. Four participants compete as partners, with teammates sitting opposite each other for optimal play coordination.

The card distribution follows straightforward mechanics: dealing starts from the dealer's right side. Bidding begins at a minimum of seven tricks, scaling up to thirteen (known as "Cabot" or "Livers"). Players make their declarations sequentially, starting from the dealer's right, with the highest bidder earning the privilege of choosing the Tarneeb (trump suit).

Failing to meet declared bids results in score deductions. For instance, bidding ten tricks but only securing nine means counting those nine tricks toward your opponents' score while your team receives the difference (in this case, four points). The opposing team would gain five points in this scenario.

Games conclude when any team reaches either 31 or 61 points - the threshold being determined by mutual agreement before play commences. Card rankings follow this hierarchy:

• A (Ace, called "Cut")
• K (King, known as "Sheikh")
• Q (Queen, referred to as "Girl")
• J (Jack, termed "Born")

Number cards follow in descending order from 10 through 2, completing the deck's ranking system for this particular game variation.