Estimar is a classic Syrian 3-player trick-taking game, built on strategic card exchange and dynamic target rotation. It’s Tarneeb with a twist!
Players: 3
Deck: 52 Cards (No Jokers)
Game Setup & Dealing
- The dealer distributes 16 cards to each player and sets aside 4 cards face down (extra cards).
- The player holding the 7 of Hearts (7♥) starts the game.
- The 7♥ holder names the Trump suit (the Tarneeb).
- Swapping cards: The dealer reveals the 4 extra cards. The 7♥ holder may optionally swap up to 4 of their cards with the extra cards. The swapped cards remain hidden.
Game Setup & Dealing
- The dealer distributes 16 cards to each player and sets aside 4 cards face-down (extra cards).
- The player holding the 7 of Hearts (7♥) starts the game.
- The 7♥ holder names the Trump suit (the Tarneeb).
- Swapping cards: The dealer reveals the 4 extra cards. The 7♥ holder may optionally swap up to 4 of their cards with the extra cards. The swapped cards remain hidden.
Target Rotation
The required number of tricks rotates each round to the player on the right.
| Player Role (Starting Round) | Required Tricks |
|---|---|
| 7♥ Holder | 8 |
| Player on their right | 5 |
| Player on their left | 3 |
Game Rules
The game follows Tarneeb rules with two crucial additions:
- Mandatory Trump\Tarneeb: If you don't have the suit of the lead card, you must play a tarneeb card if you have one.
- Mandatory Outranking: If possible, you must play a higher card of the same suit than the current highest card on the table.
- Free Play: If you don’t have a tarneeb or a higher card, you can play any card of your choice.
The Estimar Exchange
After a round, players trade cards based on their performance vs. their target tricks (tricks won - target tricks). This phase happens before the next round's 8-trick player chooses the new trump\tarneeb.
| Performance | Exchange Action |
|---|---|
| Winning Player (+) | Gives the losing player(s) cards equal to their negative score (undertricks). |
| Losing Player (-) | Returns their highest card(s) of the suit(s) received (face-down). |
Scoring
| Performance vs. Target | Points |
|---|---|
| Overtricks (e.g., Target 8 → Won 10) | +2 point per trick |
| Undertricks (e.g., Target 5 → Won 3) | –2 point per trick |
A full game is 3 rounds (targets rotate 8→5→3). The player with the highest total score wins.
If the first 3 rounds end in a tie, 3 extra rounds will be added to determine the winner. If the extra rounds are tied, the game ends in a draw.
Are you ready to give it a try? Play Estimar now!