Basra (also known as Basrah, Ashush, or Al Komi) is a fishing card game from Egypt that spread across Lebanon, Cyprus, Yemen, and the wider Mediterranean. It has been played in coffee houses throughout the Middle East for generations. In Basra, you don’t follow suit or win tricks — instead, you play cards to “fish” matching cards from the table and add them to your capture pile.
Basra uses a standard 52-card deck. At the start of the first hand, 4 cards are dealt face-up to the table and 4 cards to each player. After both players have played all 4 cards, 4 more cards are dealt to each player (but no new table cards). This continues until the entire deck is exhausted — a total of 6 deals per hand.
On your turn you play exactly one card from your hand. Two things can happen:
Capture: If your card matches the rank of one or more table cards, you capture all matching cards plus your played card. For example, playing a 9 when two 9s are on the table captures both of them. If no single card matches but a group of table cards adds up to your card’s value, you capture that group instead — so playing a 10 can capture a 6 and a 4.
No match: If your card doesn’t match anything, it goes face-up on the table, adding to the pool of cards available for capture. Choosing when to “trail” a card and when to capture is the central strategic tension of Basra.
Jack (any suit) — A Jack is a power card: it captures every card on the table regardless of rank. Timing your Jack is the single most important decision in Basra. Play it when the table is loaded with valuable cards, and you’ll swing the match.
Seven of Diamonds (7♦) — Known in Egypt as “Al Komi,” this card also sweeps the entire table like a Jack. It’s worth 2 bonus points at scoring, making it the most valuable single card in the deck. Don’t waste it on an empty table.
A Basra occurs when you completely clear the table with a capture — leaving zero cards behind. Each Basra is worth 1 bonus point. This includes Jack and 7♦ sweeps, but also regular captures. If there’s a single 5 on the table and you play a 5, that’s a Basra. Skilled players bait their opponents into clearing the table so they can trail a lone card and set up a Basra on the next turn.
When the deck runs out, the last player who made any capture takes all remaining table cards. Then both players count their piles:
Most cards captured: 3 points (if tied, neither player scores this bonus). Each Ace (A♠ A♥ A♦ A♣): 1 point each (4 available per hand). Jack of Clubs (J♣): 1 point. Seven of Diamonds (7♦): 2 points. Each Basra: 1 point per sweep.
Points accumulate across multiple hands. The first player to reach 101 points wins the match.
Hold your Jacks. A Jack played on an empty table earns nothing. Wait until the table fills up — ideally when Aces, J♣, or 7♦ are sitting there.
Count Aces and the J♣. There are only 4 Aces and one J♣ per hand. If you’ve captured three Aces, the fourth is less urgent. If J♣ is still out there, protect your table or bait the AI into revealing it.
Set up Basras. If you clear the table, your opponent must trail a card. If you can match it, that’s a free Basra point. Experienced players engineer these situations deliberately.
Don’t trail high-value cards. Putting an Ace or J♣ on the table is a gift to your opponent. Trail low cards (2s, 3s) that are harder to exploit.
Watch the deal count. Cards are dealt 4 at a time, 6 deals per hand. Toward the end of the deck, card-counting becomes decisive — you can predict what your opponent is holding.
Cliko Basra offers 7 AI difficulty levels. Beginner plays cards randomly — good for learning the mechanics. Medium targets valuable cards and avoids trailing Aces. Cyborg calculates optimal Jack timing, engineers Basra setups, and counts cards through the deck. Start on Easy and work up once you’re consistently winning.
Play Basra free online at Cliko Games — no download, no sign-up. This browser-based version faithfully implements the Lebanese/Egyptian rules with animated card play, Basra sweep flash effects, and a round-by-round scoring breakdown after each hand. The daily challenge gives every player the same deal — share your score and compare strategies with friends.
Basra is part of our Global Games collection, bringing traditional card games from the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America to your browser. Also in the collection: Scopa (Italy), Cuarenta (Ecuador), Briscola (Mediterranean), Klaverjas (Netherlands), Schnapsen (Austria), and Shpella (Albania). Every game is free, runs on any device, and works without installation.