How to Play Basra
Basra is a fast-paced capturing game played across the Middle East and North Africa with a full 52-card deck. Match, sum, or sweep the floor with a Jack or the 7 of Diamonds, and race across five scoring categories to 101 points. Learn the rules here, then play free as part of our Ultimate Scopa Collection.
Overview
Basra is a fast-paced capturing game played across the Middle East and North Africa with a full 52-card deck. Every card you play can match a floor card's value, sum with others to reach it, or do both at once — and two cards, the Jack and the 7 of Diamonds, sweep the entire floor unconditionally the moment they're played. Beat your opponent across five scoring categories, first to 101 points wins.
How to Play
- Deal. Each player is dealt 4 cards, and 4 more are placed face-up on the floor.
- Floor check. If a Jack or the 7 of Diamonds turns up in that opening floor, it's buried and the floor is redealt.
- Play a card from your hand.
- Capture or discard. Your card captures floor cards that match its value, that sum to it, or both at once — tap DISCARD if nothing captures.
- Redeal. Once both hands are empty, 4 more cards are dealt to each player (no new floor cards), repeating until the deck runs out.
- Leftover cards. Whatever remains on the floor at the very end goes to the last player who captured — no bonus for it.
- Score the five categories and keep dealing hands until someone reaches 101 points.
Card Values & Special Cards
- Ace through 10 — worth their own number for capturing.
- Jack — no numeric value. An unconditional sweep card: playing it captures the entire floor, no matter what's on it.
- 7 of Diamonds — also an unconditional sweep card, on top of its numeral value of 7 when used in a sum.
- Queen and King — no numeric value; each can only capture a matching Queen or King, never as part of a sum.
The Basra Sweep Bonus
Clearing the floor completely is worth a bonus 10 points — but only if it happens through a genuine capture. A Jack sweep never earns the bonus. A 7 of Diamonds sweep only earns it if every card it swept was a plain numeral card totalling 10 or less; otherwise it's counted as an ordinary sweep with no bonus. Any other capture that happens to empty the floor always scores the bonus.
End of Hand — Five Scoring Categories
Most Cards — 30 points to whoever captures 27 or more of the 52 cards. A 26–26 tie carries the (now doubled) bonus into the next hand.
2 of Clubs — 2 points to whoever captured it.
10 of Diamonds — 3 points to whoever captured it.
Aces — 1 point for each of the 4 Aces captured, split between both sides as they fall.
Jacks — 1 point for each of the 4 Jacks captured, split between both sides as they fall.
Strategy Tips
- Prioritise the 10 of Diamonds and 2 of Clubs — worth 3 and 2 points on their own, no matter how you capture them.
- Save your Jacks for a crowded floor — sweeping 6+ cards at once is a huge step toward the 27-card majority, even without a Basra bonus.
- Watch for a bare 7 on the floor — if you hold the 7 of Diamonds, a low, all-numeral floor is your cue to sweep it for a genuine Basra.
- Don't waste a sweep card early. A Jack played into a near-empty floor is a wasted opportunity — hold it until the floor is worth taking.
- Track the Aces and Jacks. With only 4 of each and 1 point apiece up for grabs, every one you let your opponent capture is a point you can't get back.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players does Basra need?
Basra is played by 2 people, each on their own, using a full 52-card deck.
What are the sweep cards in Basra?
The Jack and the 7 of Diamonds both capture the entire floor unconditionally whenever they're played, regardless of what's on it.
How do you capture in Basra?
Play a card from your hand that matches a floor card's value, or that sums together with other floor cards to reach its value — a single play can do both at once.
What is a Basra bonus?
Clearing the floor completely through a genuine capture scores a 10-point Basra bonus. A Jack sweep never scores it, and a 7 of Diamonds sweep only scores it if every card swept was a low numeral card.
How do you win Basra?
Score across five categories at the end of each hand — Most Cards (30), 2 of Clubs (2), 10 of Diamonds (3), and 1 point for each Ace and Jack captured — plus 10 points per Basra scored during play. First to 101 wins.
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Play Basra Free
Basra is one of 13 fishing games in our Ultimate Scopa Collection — download it free and start sweeping the floor today.