Maghreb · Fishing · Head to head

Ronda: rules and how to play

روندا

Ronda is the fishing game of Moroccan cafés, played with the 40-card Spanish deck. Play a card to take its match from the table, along with the run of numbers that follows it. Clear the table for a missa, take the card your opponent just played for a darba, and hold a pair for a ronda. Take more than half the deck and race to 41.

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Ronda: Head to head · match and run · missa and darba

Players: 2 (or 4 in partners)
Deck: 40 Spanish cards: no 8s or 9s
Goal: First to 41 points
A game: Several decks, to 41

How to play in one minute

Use the Spanish 40-card deck; suits don't matter. Deal four cards each and four face up on the table.
Play a card. If its number matches a table card, take every card of that number, then the next number up, and so on until the run breaks.
If nothing matches, your card stays on the table. When the hands are empty, deal four more each.
Score a missa (+1) for clearing the table and a darba (+1) for taking the card just played. A pair in hand is a ronda (+1), three or four a tringa (+5).
At the end of the deck, score a point for every card over 20, plus your bonuses. The first to 41 wins.

The rules

The deal

The Spanish 40-card deck: 1 to 7, then 10, 11 and 12, with no 8s and 9s. Suits don't matter. With two players, each for themselves, four cards go face up on the table at the start of each deck; with four, in two teams with partners opposite, the table starts empty. Everyone gets four cards, and when all hands are empty, four more each come from the same deck; the last deal may be shorter. One full deck is one hand.

Capturing

Play one card. If its number matches a table card, you take every table card of that number, then every card of the next number, and so on until a number is missing. The order is 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-10-11-12, and 12 does not go back to 1. If nothing matches, your card stays on the table. You must play all your cards.

Bonuses

Missa: a capture that empties the table, +1.
Darba: you take the card the previous player just played by matching its number, +1. Taking it only as part of a run does not count, and one play can be both a missa and a darba.
Ronda and tringa: at every deal your strongest set is announced for you. A pair is a ronda (+1); three or four of a number is a tringa (+5). Only the strongest set at the table scores: a tringa beats any ronda, then the higher number wins, and equal strongest sets cancel.

Scoring

At the end of the deck the last player to capture takes what is left on the table. Each side then scores 1 point for every card taken over 20, plus its bonuses. Scores are checked at the end of each deck: once a side has 41 or more, the higher score wins, and a tie plays another deck.

Example

You end the deck with 24 cards, one missa and one ronda: 4 + 1 + 1 = 6 points.

Tips from the table

Play into runs: a 3 played on a table of 3, 4 and 5 takes all three.
Every card you play can be matched straight back for a darba. Think twice before playing a number your opponent is likely to hold.
Cards count too: every card over 20 is a point, so a long run is often worth more than a single missa.
Rondas and tringas are announced for you, but only the strongest at the table scores. A pair of 12s beats a pair of 3s.

Qahwa · قهوة

Play it in Qahwa

Switch the house rules before you deal:

Two players head to head, or four in partners
Play to 21, 41 or 61

Join the early playersIn testing · soon onGoogle Play

Online, every computer player is labelled and the deal can be checked. How we keep it fair

Questions

What is a missa in Ronda?

A capture that clears every card from the table. It is worth 1 point, and the same play can also be a darba.

What is the difference between a ronda and a tringa?

Both are sets in your hand, announced for you at the deal. A pair is a ronda (+1); three or four of a number is a tringa (+5). Only the strongest set at the table scores.

Is Ronda the same as Chkobba?

Both are fishing games from the Maghreb, but Ronda captures by matching a number and the run after it, scores missa, darba, ronda and tringa, and counts cards over 20. Chkobba captures by value or by sum. Qahwa has both.