Chkobba
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Chkobba rules

Chkobba (also spelled chkoba, شكبّة) is Tunisia's most popular card game, played for generations in cafés and at home. It is close to Italian scopa but has its own scoring. Here are the complete rules, as they apply in our game.

The deck: 40 cards

Chkobba uses 40 cards: four suits (diamonds ♦ called "dinari", hearts ♥, spades ♠, clubs ♣) of ten cards each, without the numbered 8, 9 and 10.

Card values used for capturing:

  • Ace = 1
  • 2 to 7 = face value
  • Jack = 8
  • Queen = 9
  • King = 10

Players

Two players (1v1) or four in two teams (2v2). In 2v2 partners sit opposite each other and their captures are counted together.

Dealing

The dealer gives each player 3 cards and lays 4 cards face up on the table. When everyone has played their hand, 3 more cards each are dealt until the deck runs out. One full deck is a round.

In our game, at the start of each round the first player turns a card and chooses to keep it or put it on the table.

Capturing

On your turn you play one card:

  • If a table card has the same value, you capture it.
  • Otherwise you may capture several cards that add up to your card: a 7 takes a 3 and a 4.
  • If a card of the same value is on the table, you must take it instead of a sum.
  • If you cannot capture, your card stays on the table.

The chkobba

When your capture clears the whole table, you score a chkobba, worth 1 point. It is the highlight of the game.

End of the round

After the last card is played, any cards left on the table go to the last player who captured.

Scoring

At the end of each round, each category gives 1 point to the player or team that wins it:

  • Cards (karta): more than 20 cards.
  • Diamonds (dinari): more than 5 diamonds.
  • Seven of diamonds: whoever captured it.
  • Bermila: most sevens; on a tie, most sixes.
  • Chkobbas: 1 point per sweep.
  • If a category is tied, nobody scores it.

Who wins

A match is played to 11 or 21 points. The first player or team to reach the target wins.

In our game, capturing all ten diamonds wins the match instantly.

Beginner tips

  • Watch the seven of diamonds and the sevens: two easy points to lose.
  • Don't leave an easy sum on the table for a sweep.
  • Count the sevens and sixes already played to know who gets bermila.
  • Practise against the hard computer before going online.