Basra online — rules and how to play
Basra is the Arab world’s classic fishing game: a 52-card duel where every card you play can capture from the floor — by rank match, by sums, or by sweeping the whole table with a basra. On Tonj you play basra online right in the browser: no download, a live rival or a bot, and a provably fair shuffle — first to 121 points wins.
Play basra nowWhat is basra?
Basra is a fishing game for two players: four cards in hand, face-up cards on the floor, and every turn is a capture — take a matching rank, build a sum out of floor cards, or clear the entire floor. Most cards and bonuses win the hand; first to 121 wins the match.
Basra on Tonj
Two players, six deals of 4+4 cards, a 30-second clock per turn, and a bot that takes over if your rival drops. Every deal commits to a cryptographic fingerprint published before play — no rigging possible.
How a match goes
Capture from the floor
Play a card that matches a floor rank and take every card of that rank — or, with a numeral card, take a set of floor cards whose values sum to its value (Ace = 1; J, Q and K have no number). A match and a sum-set are taken together.
Power cards and the sweep (basra)
The 7♦ and any Jack capture the entire floor, whatever it holds. Clearing the floor with a single ordinary card is a basra — a 10-point bonus. With the 7♦ it counts only if the floor totals 10 or less with no face cards on it; a Jack never scores a basra.
Count to 121
At hand end the bigger pile pays: card majority (27+ of 52) is 30, each Jack and each Ace 1, the 2♣ (السنك) 2, the 10♦ 3, and every basra 10. Leftover floor cards go to the last player who captured. First to 121 wins.
Basra rules in detail
The deal
52 cards: four to each player and four face-up on the floor — any 7♦ or Jack that appears there is buried into the stock and replaced. When both hands run out, four fresh cards each, six deals in all. The non-dealer plays first and turns strictly alternate — there is no passing in basra.
Match capture
A played card captures every floor card of the same rank: a 7 takes every 7 on the floor, a Queen takes a Queen, a King takes a King — suits never matter.
Sum capture
A numeral card also captures one set of floor cards whose values add up to its value: a 5 takes a 4+1 or a 3+2, a 10 takes 7+3 or 6+3+1… If a match and a sum exist together you take them all in one strike.
Power cards: the 7♦ and the Jacks
The 7♦ and any Jack sweep the entire floor regardless of what is on it. The sweep itself is not always a basra: with an ordinary card it always is; with the 7♦ only when the floor sums to 10 or less and holds no Q or K; with a Jack never.
Scoring and winning
Hand points: card majority — 27 or more of the 52 — is worth 30; each captured Jack 1; each captured Ace 1; the 2♣ 2; the 10♦ 3; each basra 10. A 26–26 tie defers the 30 to the next hand’s majority. First to 121 points wins the match — the classic target on Tonj tables.
Basra scoring table
| Card majority (27+ of 52) | 30 points |
|---|---|
| Every captured Jack | 1 point |
| Every captured Ace | 1 point |
| The 2♣ — السنك | 2 points |
| The 10♦ | 3 points |
| Every basra (sweep) | 10 points |
A tied 26–26 hand defers the 30 majority points to the next hand — on Tonj the carry shows on the table until it lands.
Frequently asked questions
What is the game basra?
Basra is the classic Arab fishing card game for two players: capture floor cards by matching ranks or building sums, sweep the floor for a 10-point basra, and bank the bonuses — each Jack and Ace 1, the 2♣ 2, the 10♦ 3. First to 121 points wins.
Can I play basra online for free?
Yes — tonj.online runs right in your browser with no download: start as a guest in seconds and practice against a bot before duelling real rivals.
What does a basra (السبّة) mean?
A basra is clearing the whole floor with one played card — a 10-point bonus. With an ordinary card it always counts; with the 7♦ only if the floor totals 10 or less with no face cards; with a Jack it never counts.
What is the 10♦ worth in basra?
The 10♦ is worth 3 points to whoever captures it, and the 2♣ — السنك — is worth 2. Every Jack and every Ace adds 1 to its capturer.
How many cards do you play in basra?
All 52: six deals of four cards to each player, with four face-up on the floor at the opening. Leftover floor cards at the end go to the last player who captured.