Iran's partnership game, where the first to seven tricks takes the hand.
Iran's most-played card game, and a fixture of family gatherings. Four players in partnerships, and the first side to seven tricks takes the hand.
A 52-card deck, aces high. Thirteen cards each, but they are not all dealt at once.
Cards are dealt face up one at a time until someone gets an ace. That player becomes the hakem — the ruler — for the hand.
The hakem is dealt their first five cards, looks at them, and names the trump suit. Only then is the rest of the deal completed, eight more cards to everyone.
The hakem leads the first trick. You must follow suit if you can; if you cannot, you may play anything, including a trump. Highest trump wins, otherwise the highest card of the suit led. The winner leads next.
The first partnership to seven tricks wins immediately, and the remaining cards are not played out. That is the pace of the game — hands often end well before the cards run out.
One point per hand. Game is usually seven points.
If the hakem's side wins the hand, the same player stays hakem for the next one. If they lose, the position passes to the opponent on their right.
Winning all seven tricks before the opponents take a single one is a kot and counts double. Doing it while the opponents have taken none at all in a hand where you were not hakem counts more still, by agreement.