In Arab countries, particularly in the Levant region, Tarneeb is a popular card game known for its engaging gameplay. Often referred to as "rule" in the Arab Gulf states, the main goal of Tarneeb is to win a series of rounds. The game is played with four players divided into two teams, with each team consisting of two partners seated opposite each other. The game continues through multiple rounds until one team emerges as the winner.
Tarneeb uses a standard 52-card deck, excluding jokers. The game begins with the dealer distributing cards starting from the player to their right. The bidding phase starts with the player to the left of the dealer, where players bid on the number of tricks they believe their team can win, starting from a minimum of 7 up to a maximum of 13, known as "Cabot" or "livers." Bidding proceeds clockwise, and the highest bidder selects the Tarneeb suit, which becomes the trump suit for that round.
If a team fails to meet their bid, they face a penalty. For example, if a team bids to win 10 tricks but only secures 9, they lose points equivalent to the number of tricks they bid (10 points), while the opposing team gains points for the tricks they won, which in this case would be 4 points if they won 4 tricks. If the opposing team wins 5 tricks, any discrepancies or cheating would be revealed.
The game concludes when one team reaches a predetermined score, either 61 or 31 points, depending on the agreement made before the start of the game.
The card hierarchy in Tarneeb is as follows, from highest to lowest:
- A (Cut)
- K (Sheikh)
- Q (girl)
- J (born)
- Then descending from 10 to 2.
