Biriba

Biriba (Greek: Μπιρίμπα) is a Greek card game which can be played with either two people, or any number of pairs of people. When played with two people or two pairs, then two decks of cards are used. If played with three pairs, then three decks are used and so on. Sometimes, Biriba can also be played with three people (no pairs), and two decks. However, the most common way is playing with two pairs.

Basics

While there are many variations of Biriba, the basic rules and objective are the same. The direction of the game moves counter-clockwise and one person cuts the deck, while another (sitting behind or to the right of the person who cuts the deck) deals the cards. Eleven cards are dealt to each player and then two sets of 11 cards are also dealt and put to the side. These cards are called the Biribakia (Greek for "small Biribas"). The objective of the game is discard all of one's cards by creating sets of card combinations (minimum three cards), either suited sets (for example A-2-3 or 10-J-Q-K-A) or three/four /etc. of a kind (eg. Q-Q-Q or 3-3-3-3-3). Wild cards (jokers or 2s) can be used to form a set, but only one wild card is allowed per set.

Each player has two options in his turn. He can either pick a new card from the deck, or pick up from the discarded ones. He must always discard one card. This means that if there are more than one cards discarded previously, he will end up with more cards than before. A person continuously doing so (in order to accumulate all the cards of the deck and diminish the possibility of the other players to form combinations) is called a "skoupa" (sweeper).

When a player has enough sets to discard all of his cards, he progresses to the next set, which is the Biribakia. A set of minimum seven cards (a "Biriba") is required for the player to move to the Biribakia. When playing with pairs, only one person from each pair can "close" and move on the Biribakia, while the other has to continue with his original cards.

The initial start game play (in 2 or 4 player game) is somewhat similar to the card game canasta. In order to meld your cards to the table your cards that your melding must total:If your score is between 0 - 1499 you dropped hand must be equal or greater than 75 pointsIf your score is between 1500 - 2999 points you dropped hand must be equal or greater than 90 pointsIf your score is between 3000 - 5000 points you dropped hand must be greater than 120 points.

Once your cards are melded, you can then stick any cards anywhere to any set to make a seven card hand.

The aim of the game, in a 2 player or 4 player game, is the person or the team to reach a specified amount of points (usually from 3000 to 5000).

Sets

Below are the following sets you can have in Biriba. Sets are either arranged the way a straight flush is arranged in Poker or by using the same numbers/face cards.
Biriba: seven consecutive cards. If the set is consecutive suited cards then it is worth 400 points if there are no jokers ("kathari", which is Greek for "clean", also "Gnisia" (pure) and "Parthena" (virgin)) and worth 200 points if there is a joker or a wild two ("vromiki", (dirty) or bastardemeni (bastard)). If the set is of numbers then the Biriba is worth 300 points. However, if a joker or wild two are used then the value of the Biriba is halved, i.e. 150 points.

Hiliara: A hiliara (Greek for "thousand") consists of every suited consecutive card from Ace to King (or Ace to Two if the Ace is placed after the King). This set is worth 1,000 points. However if there is a joker then it is considered a Pentakosara (Greek for "five hundred") and it is worth 500 points.

Atout

The suit of the first discarded card in the game makes it the "atout". If a biriba is formed with the atout suits then it is an atout-biriba and it is worth 600 points. An atout biriba with a joker is worth 300 points. A hiliara biriba is still 1000 points (no extra points).

Card Points

After all the points from the sets are added (and subtracted if necessary), the points of each individual cards are added to the total score. Each card is assigned a numerical point as follows. (However, biriba has so many variations that even the point system varies by a factor of 10. Below the non-decimal points are used as they are deemed more convenient.)
Joker: 20
A: 15
K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8 and 2: 10
7, 6, 5, 4, 3: 5

"(Suits have no effect on the point value of each card)"

Bonus and Penalty points

If a player manages to discard his second hand (the biribakia) then the round ends and he gets a bonus of 100 points. Everyone else is penalised by adding the points of the cards they have on them. If a player has not progressed to the biribakia (he is still in the first hand), he is penalised another 100 points.