Chkobba♠

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Tunisian profile

Chkobba is a Tunisian relative of Italian Scopa, played in cafés and families. Player Simon Nemni’s Harissa account and operator Chkobbeta confirm its unusual courts and sevens scoring. We choose that profile: Q=8,J=9,K=10, with bermila awarded for most sevens, then sixes. The CardRulesPlus summary names and describes these elements differently; they must not be merged.

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Deal and cut card

Play with 2 opponents or 4 in opposite partnerships. Remove 8,9,10 from 52, leaving 40. A=1, 2–7 face value, Q=8,J=9,K=10; these are capture values, not points for every card. Choose first dealer by lot. Dealer shuffles; right neighbour cuts and looks at one card, choosing to keep it or expose it on the table. Complete the deal to 3 each and 4 on the table: the selected card counts within those totals. Remainder is face down. Redeal an initial three or four equal ranks. Play and next deal move anticlockwise, starting at dealer’s right.

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One card and compulsory capture

Play one card face up. If an equal single card exists, capture one such card plus your own; choose one if several match. This takes priority over any sum. Only without an equal single may you capture a group whose sum equals the played value; choose one qualifying group. Courts can also capture sums: Q worth 8 takes 2+6. An available capture is compulsory. Otherwise the played card stays on the table. Put captures in your winnings; partners combine them.

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Sweeps and deal end

Clearing the whole table with one play earns chkobba=1; mark it by leaving your played card face up in the winnings. The very last card of the deal earns no sweep bonus. When all hands empty, deal another 3 each from the remainder, adding nothing to the table; the same first player starts. After all cards are played, the last capturer takes table leftovers without a chkobba bonus. This is not an extra turn or a requirement to play from an empty hand.

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Four categories and sweeps

Per deal award 1 for more than 20 cards; 1 for more than 5 diamonds; 1 bermila for most sevens, with most sixes breaking equal sevens; and 1 for 7♦, called 7ayya. A tied category earns nothing, including tied sevens and sixes. Add 1 for every chkobba. Do not count Italian primiera.

Start at 0, target 21, counting after the full deal. For a definite finish we agree that if both reach target, higher total wins; equal totals continue. No KO rule is used. Otherwise the sole side reaching target wins.

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Queen captures a sum

Mid-deal the table contains only 2♦ and 6♠. A plays Q♥ worth 8: 2+6=8, taking all 3 cards and marking 1 chkobba. J would be worth 9 and could not make this capture. If A finishes with 22 cards, 6 diamonds, 7♦, 2 sevens on each side and A’s 3 sixes, plus this 1 chkobba, A scores 1+1+1+1+1=5. A previous 17 becomes 22 and reaches target.

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