Biriba Game

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Origins of the game. The connections between Biriba and the suggested Italian origin of the game are relatively few and weak unlike the similarities between Biriba and Canasta which are many and strong. The inventor of Canasta might have been inspired by Biriba but it seems more likely that former Greek emigrants returning to their home Country. I'm Rafael Biriba, a very passionate developer, who loves to learn and create new stuff, even in my free time. Professionally working with software development since 2008 but my true passion for coding started back them in 2004. Look into any Greek cantina, and it’s fairly likely you will find a group of men playing a game called Biriba, a basic, rummy-style card game. Time passes, and frappe after frappe goes by with the turn of the cards. A methodical drumming echoes throughout the room as the players gather and distribute the deck again and again. Notes are marked.

Biriba (Greek: Μπιρίμπα) is the Greek partnership version of a rummy card game of Italian origin called Biribara, also Biribisso.^[1]. It is played by two to six players, with two decks and 4 Jokers comprising 108 cards. If 6 players play, one more deck and two 2 jokers more are added. Biriba can also be played by three players without partnership.

Basics

While there are many variations of Biriba, the basic rules and objective are the same. The game moves counter-clockwise. The player to the right of the dealer shuffles the cards and his partner cuts the deck. Eleven cards are dealt to each player while two other sets of 11 cards are also dealt by one of the opponents and put face down to the side. These cards are called the Biribakia, from Birbiakia, (Greek for 'small Biribas'). The objective of the game is to discard all of one's cards by creating sets of card combinations (minimum three cards), either suited sets (eg. A-2-3 or 10-J-Q-K-A) or three or four of a kind (eg. Q-Q-Q or 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 from the discarded ones. If so, he must take all the cards played so far and discard one. A player continuously doing so, in order to accumulate all the cards of the deck and diminish the possibility of the other players forming combinations, is called a skoupa (sweeper).

Biriba Card Game

When a player has melded all of his cards, he then progresses to the next set, which is the Biribakia. A set of minimum seven cards, called 'Biriba', is required for the player to move to the Biribakia. However, the player who holds one card and is ready to 'close', cannot take from the discard pile on the table in case that there is only one card, with which the player can close. When playing in partnership, only one person from each pair can 'close' and move on the Biribakia, while the other has to continue with his original cards.

Sets

Below are the following sets in Biriba. Sets are either arranged the way a straight flush is arranged in Poker or by using the same numbers or 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)) are 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 in the meld 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. (see Venezuelan Version at the end of the Greek directions)

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).

Vulnerability

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 you're melding must total: If your score is between 0 - 1499, your dropped hand must be equal to or greater than 75 points If your score is between 1500 - 2999 points, your dropped hand must be equal to or greater than 90 points If your score is between 3000 - 5000 points, your dropped hand must be greater than 120 points.

Once the cards have been melded, the player can then stick any card 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 reaching a specified amount of points (usually from 3000 to 5000).

Card values

After all the points from the sets are added (or subtracted if necessary), the points of each individual cards are added to the total score. Each card is assigned a numerical point as follows.

Joker: 25
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.

Note: 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. See below.

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 penalized by adding the points of the cards they have in hands. If a player has not progressed to the biribakia, being still in the first hand, he is penalized another 100 points.

Variations

Three-handed Biriba

The game is the same as for four players, with the following differences:

• The first biribaki is consisted of 18 cards, the second of 11.
• The one who 'closes' first, and takes the first biribaki, has the other two players as a team against him for the hand. The two other players share equally their points.

Six-handed Biriba

• The game is the same as for four players, three teams partners sitting opposite.

Venezuelan version of Biriba

Object: Be the first to earn 2500 points

Base Points:

Card Value Points:

Joker 50 pointsWild 2’s 25 pointsA’s 20 points8-K 10 points3-7 5 points

A Biriba is a group of at least 7 cards consisting of:
Runs - must be of the same suit - A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A.Sets – same value card (all 3’s; all 4’s; all 5’s… all J’s; all Q’s; all K’s; all A’s).Wild Card Biriba – consists of Jokers and Wild 2’s.If a wild card is added to a clean Biriba, the value of the Biriba drops to that of a dirty Biriba.

Non-partnership Game (2-3 Players)

The Deal:

1. To determine the first dealer, the players take turns cutting the deck. The player to cut at the highest ranking card (excluding Wild’s and 2’s) is the first dealer.

2. The dealer cuts from the bottom of the deck, attempting to cut from the bottom the exact number of cards that equals 11 cards per player, plus the one card which is placed face up next to the draw deck. The dealer hands this portion of the deck to the player to his left.

3. The dealer turns over the remaining top portion of the deck and looks only at the bottom three cards, being careful not to reveal the fourth card from the bottom. If any of the three cards is a Joker or Wild 2, the dealer gets the card(s). The dealer continues to check the cards at the bottom of the pile until the three cards at the bottom of the deck are not Jokers or Wild 2’s. Any Jokers and/or Wild 2’s found in this process become part of the dealer’s first hand of a total of 11 cards.

4. The player to whom the dealer handed the cards then deals the first hand of cards for the round. If the dealer cut exactly, the dealer gets 100 points; if the dealer is + or – one card, the dealer gets 50 points. If the dealer found any Jokers or Wild 2’s at the bottom of the deck, these are counted as part of his/her first hand of a total of 11 cards. (Example: If three players and the dealer found two Jokers/Wild 2’s in the bottom three cards, the deal of the first hand of 11 cards consists of 11 cards each for the two non-dealers and 9 cards for the dealer. If the cut from the bottom of the original deck was exactly 11+11+9+1, or 32 cards, then the dealer gets 100 base points; if either 31 or 33 cards, the dealer was off one card and gets 50 base points.).

5. The dealer then deals the Biriba piles (cards used for the second hand of cards for the round) consisting of 11 cards for each player. These cards are set aside for use after the first round of cards.

The Play:

The first hand of the round:

1. The third player (or the dealer, if only two players) makes the first play.a. The player may choose to pick up the entire pile of face up cards or choose one card from the face down remaining cardsb. The player must discard one card2. Going clockwise, each player takes a turn3. The goal of the first hand is to be able to use every card in the player’s handa. Groups of at least 3 cards (the base for any Biriba, or group of 7 or more cards)b. Groups of cards may include no more than one wild/2 cardc. If a group of wild cards are played, then the player may not use a wild card in any group of cards until the Wild Card Biriba is complete4. If the player is able to lay down all cards except one, the one remaining card becomes the discard, and the player’s turn is over.5. If the player is able to lay down all cards on the table (with no discard), the player picks up his/her Biriba pile and continues the Biriba hand.6. Once a card is no longer touching a player’s physical fingers or hand, that card is considered played, and may not be retrieved.

The Biriba hand:

1. The player picks up the Biriba pile2. If the player did not have a discard when laying down the first round of cards, the player continues to play until he/she discards3. The round ends when a player:a. Has used all cards and goes out with or without a discardb. Has at lease one Biriba (completed group of 7 or more cards)4. The points for each player are tallied, with the points in hand counted against the player(s) who did not end the round. The point tally includes the base points, and the card value points.

The next round(s):

1. The player to the left of the dealer, then becomes the dealer and cuts the cards2. The game continues until a player has 2500 points at the end of a round3. If two or more players have at least 2500 points at the end of a round, the player with the highest total score is the winner.

Partners Game (4 Players)

Partners1. The players chose partners; Team A and Team B2. The partners sit opposite each other such that turns are taken by alternating team members

The Deal:

1. To determine the first dealer, the players take turns cutting the deck. The player to cut with the highest card (excluding Wild’s and 2’s) is the first dealer.

2. The dealer cuts from the bottom of the deck, attempting to cut from the bottom the exact number of cards that equals 11 cards per player, plus one card which is placed face up next to the draw deck.

3. The dealer hands those cards to the player on his/her left. That player then deals the first hand of cards for the round. If the dealer cut exactly, the dealer gets 100 points for his/her team; if the dealer is + or – one card, the dealer gets 50 points for his/her team.

4. The dealer then deals the Biriba piles (cards used for the second hand of cards for the round) consisting of 2 piles of 11 cards. These cards are set aside for use after the first round of cards.

Biriba Game Rules

The Play:

The first hand of the round:

1. The third player makes the first play.2. Play continues the same as for a 2-3 player game, until one member of the team lays down his/her first hand

The Biriba hand:

1. The player picks up the Biriba pile2. If the player did not have a discard when laying down the first round of cards, the player continues to play until he/she discards3. When it is the turn of the team member of the player who has laid down his/her first round of cards the player:a. Plays as if the first round of cards laid on the table are his/her and adds to those cards to assist in completed a Biriba, and lays down as many other cards that can be used4. The round is over when a player on a team:a. Has used all cards and goes out with or without a discardb. The team has at lease one Biriba (completed group of 7 or more cards)5. The points for each player are tallied, with the points in hand counted against the player(s) who did not end the round.

The next round(s):

1. The player to the left of the dealer, then becomes the dealer and cuts the cards2. The game continues until a player has 2500 points at the end of a round3. If two or more players have at least 2500 points at the end of a round, the player with the highest total score is the winner

See also

References

Biriba Card Game

1. ^New pronouncing and explanatory English-Italian and Italian-English dictionary pg. 104, John Millhouse,Ferdinando Bracciforti

Biriba Game Online

External links