Ronda game examples, play by play

With four players, seats are named as at a real table: South (you), East, North (your partner, opposite) and West. Play goes counter-clockwise, so the order is South, East, North, West when West deals. With two players, it is simply You and the Opponent.

• The table is the list of face-up cards in the middle, in the order they were played.
• Only the value matters: suits (coins, cups, swords, clubs) are given just to follow the cards.
• Points “in play” in a chain are only won when it stops, by the last player in the chain.

First deal of a round, empty table. West deals: South plays first, West last. Nobody has a declaration. The hands:

Fifth and last deal of a head-to-head round. The Opponent deals: you play first. Score: You 22, Opponent 25. You have already collected 16 cards (including the 5 of swords), the Opponent 14. On the table: 6 of swords and Rey of cups.

Two Rondas: the type is not enough to name a winner, so the values will be compared at the end of the deal. Play begins.

1. You: 5 of coins. A trap: you know the 5 of swords is already in your pile, so only one 5 is still hidden. Table: 6, 12, 5.
2. Opponent: 5 of cups, B'wahed (1 point in play). The pile gathers the two 5s and the run above them: the 6.
3. You: 5 of clubs, B'khemsa (5 points in play). The fourth 5 is in your pile: no B'3echra is possible, this gain is safe.
4. Opponent: 2 of coins. The chain stops: you score 5 points (27) and take 5, 5, 5 and 6. His 2 stays on the table: 12, 2.
5. You: 3 of cups. Your Cabal would have offered a B'wahed with the Rey thrown in; the 3 is the lesser evil. Table: 12, 2, 3.
6. Opponent: Cabal of swords. A mistake: he could have taken the 2 and 3 with his other 2. Table: 12, 2, 3, 11.
7. You: Cabal of coins, B'wahed (1 point in play), with the Rey in the pile.
8. Opponent: 2 of clubs, the very last card. Your chain stops: +1 (28) and you take Cabal, Cabal and Rey. His 2 then takes the 2 and the 3 and clears the table, but no Missa: it is the last card of the round, played by the dealer.

First deal of a round: everyone holds a combination and everyone declares it:

• Partners do not compete: North's Tringa represents South-North; for East-West, West's Ronda of Reyes is stronger than East's Double Ronda (12 against 11).
• A Tringa beats any Ronda: South-North take the value of every declaration, 1 + 2 + 5 + 1 = 9 points.
• Only one team holds a Tringa: the winner is certain from the type alone, so the 9 points are scored straight away, without revealing the values.

1. A chain pays only its last player: 1, 5 or 10, plus the Missa if the table is cleared.
2. Counting the copies of each value tells you whether a B'khemsa is safe or risky.
3. The last card of every deal, the dealer's, is safe from any answer.
4. A card left on its own can complete a run for the next player.
5. The best declaration takes everything: a small Ronda can feed your opponent.
6. The end-of-round card bonus can push you past 33.

To go further: the strategy tips, the scoring table and the Ronda quiz to check you have it all.