Levant · Trick-taking · Every player for themselves
Leekha: rules and how to play
ليخة
Leekha is the Levant's favourite way to make a friend eat the queen of spades. Four players, no partners and no trump: every deal you pass three cards, then try not to take penalty cards. The queen of spades, the leekha itself, costs 13 points, the ten of diamonds 10, and every heart 1. When someone reaches 101, the lowest score wins.
At a glance
- Players
- 4, each for themselves
- Deck
- 52 cards, ace high, no trump
- Goal
- Take as few points as you can
- A game
- Several deals, until someone reaches 101
01
How to play in one minute
- Deal 13 cards each. Choose three cards and pass them to the player on your right.
- The player on the dealer's right leads the first trick. Follow suit if you can.
- Can't follow? If you hold the queen of spades or the ten of diamonds you must play one of them; otherwise play any card.
- The highest card of the suit led takes the trick; there is no trump. Hearts can't be led until a heart or the queen of spades has been played.
- Count your penalty cards: queen of spades 13, ten of diamonds 10, each heart 1. When someone reaches 101, the lowest score wins.
02
The rules
The deal and the pass
A standard 52-card deck, 13 cards each, ace high. Every deal starts with a pass: each player chooses three cards and gives them to the player on their right. The pass always goes right, and the cards move only when all four have chosen. The dealer moves one seat to the right after every deal.
Playing the tricks
After the pass, the player on the dealer's right leads the first trick. Follow the suit led if you can. If you can't and you hold the queen of spades or the ten of diamonds, you must play one of them (the forced leekha); otherwise play any card. The highest card of the suit led takes the trick and leads the next. Hearts can't be led until a heart or the queen of spades has been played, unless you hold only hearts.
Scoring
- Queen of spades (the leekha): 13 points.
- Ten of diamonds: 10 points.
- Each heart: 1 point.
- A deal holds 36 points in all. Scores are checked after the whole deal: when someone reaches 101 the game ends, and the player with the fewest points wins. Tied players share the win.
You take the ten of diamonds and three hearts: you add 13 points. Your neighbour takes the leekha alone: 13 as well.
03
Tips from the table
- Pass the danger. The queen of spades, the ace and king of spades and high hearts are the usual cards to send to your right.
- Short suits are your friend: empty a suit early and you can drop the leekha or the ten of diamonds on someone else's trick.
- Holding the queen of spades? Keep a few low spades too: they let you duck under the ace and king.
- Lowest on points? Push the highest scorer past 101 to end the game while you are ahead.
Qahwa · قهوة
Play it in Qahwa
Switch the house rules before you deal:
- Forced leekha: with no card of the suit led, drop the queen of spades or the ten of diamonds
- Shooting the moon: take all 36 points and the others take them instead
- First lead from the dealer's right, or from the dealer
- Play to 51, 101 or 151
Online, every computer player is labelled and the deal can be checked. How we keep it fair
04
Questions
What does leekha mean?
Leekha is what players call the queen of spades in this game, the card that costs 13 points, and the game is named after it.
How is Leekha different from Hearts?
They are cousins. Leekha adds the ten of diamonds (10 points), always passes to the right, usually forces you to drop the leekha or the ten when you can't follow, and plays to 101. Qahwa has both.
Can I play Leekha online?
Yes. Play Leekha in Qahwa at a private table with friends, in quick match, or offline against the computer.
Play it free: Leekha
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