BuraStars 1.10

The Georgian card game Bura is designed for two players, utilizing either a 3-card or 5-card format. The gameplay is structured with specific rules that govern player interactions and scoring.

General Rules:

• The starting player is determined randomly.
• A hand comprising a combination of one color is referred to as “Maliutka” and may be played without a specific order.
• The combination of all trump cards in a hand is known as “Bura,” which also can be played without order and automatically wins the turn.
• During their turn, players can declare points to increase their score:
  • Davi – 2 points
  • Se – 3 points
  • Chari – 4 points
  • Beshi – 5 points
  • Shashi – 6 points
• A player can declare a win at the end of any turn if they have the next move.
• The game concludes when a player claims to have reached 31 points (in the case of 3 cards) or 61 points (with 5 cards).
• If a player incorrectly claims victory (having not reached the stated points), the opponent wins that turn. Notably, if the total reaches 60 points in the 5-card Bura format, the turn is declared a draw.
• The game continues over several turns until one player accumulates a total of 3, 5, or 11 points.
• According to the Crawford rule, if a player has only one point remaining before winning, the following hand will be played without offering additional points to the opponent.

3 Cards Bura:

• If a player lays down cards that cannot be countered by the opponent, that opponent plays their cards in secret, without revealing them to the first player.
• When unable to counter, players are not required to match colors while playing their cards secretly.
• The objective remains to declare reaching 31 points. Should a player make an incorrect declaration (not achieving 31 points), their opponent wins that turn.

Deck Composition:

• A total of 20 cards include:
  • Ace - 11 points each
  • King - 4 points each
  • Queen - 3 points each
  • Jack – 2 points each
  • 10 - 10 points each

5 Cards Bura:

• This variant is also played in multiple turns until one player reaches either 3, 5, or 11 points.
• Unlike the 3-card format, all card movements are visible to both participants, eliminating any secrecy.
• The aim in this version is to declare achieving 61 points, with similar consequences for incorrect declarations as in the shorter format.

Deck Composition:

• A total of 36 cards includes:
  • 16 additional cards (9s, 8s, 7s, and 6s) with zero point value are added to the original deck used for the 3-card Bura.

This enjoyable game encourages social interaction and strategic thinking; it is best played with real individuals for an authentic experience.