Ronda glossary: every term in the game

B'wahed(Bwahed, Bouahed, Bwahad, بواحد)

Playing a card of the same value as the one the previous player has just left on the table without capturing. Worth 1 point if the chain stops there. Literally “by one”.

B'khemsa(Bkhemsa, Bkhamsa, بخمسة)

Third card of the same value played straight after a B'wahed by the next player. Worth 5 points and replaces the B'wahed: only the last player in the chain scores.

B'3echra(B'achra, Bachra, Bechra, Beshara, بعشرة)

Fourth and final card of the same value played straight after a B'khemsa. Worth 10 points; that player collects the whole pile. The digit 3 stands for an Arabic letter (ع).

Chain

Matching cards played one right after another (B'wahed, B'khemsa, B'3echra). It ends when the next player plays a different value or a new deal starts; its last player scores and collects.

Pile (of the chain)

The matching cards of a chain plus the run above them on the table. It stays in the middle during the chain, then goes to the last player in the chain.

Missa(Mesa, Mesa limpia, Misa, ميسة, ميسا)

Clearing the table completely with a capture. Worth 1 point, added to any chain gain (B'wahed + Missa = 2). No Missa with the very last card of the round, played by the dealer.

Card bonus

At the end of the round, each captured card above 20 scores 1 point for the side holding it. 20 cards or fewer: 0 points.

Declaration(announcement)

Optional call of a combination dealt to you, right after each deal. Only its type is shown during the deal; the best declaration takes the value of all of them.

Ronda(روندا, روندة)

Declaration of a pair: two cards of the same value in the hand you were dealt. Worth 1 point. It is also the name of the game.

Double Ronda(Doble Ronda, دوبل روندا)

Declaration of two pairs in the 4-card hand of the first deal, or of four cards of the same value (on any deal in 1 vs 1). Worth 2 points. It does not automatically beat a Ronda: the highest pair decides.

Tringa(Tringla, Trinka, Rondín, ترينكا, ترينغا, تريا)

Declaration of three cards of the same value (for example three 4s: 4 of coins, 4 of cups and 4 of swords). Worth 5 points; it always beats a Ronda.

Table(carpet, middle)

The centre of the table, where cards are played. It starts empty and is never cleared between deals.

Capture(take, collect)

Playing a card of the same value as one on the table to take it, together with the whole unbroken run above it. It is compulsory: you cannot lay a card next to its twin.

Run(sequence)

Cards of consecutive values on the table, in the order 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12 (the 7 is followed by the Sota). It stops at the first gap.

Deal

Each round of dealing within a round of play: three deals (4, 3 and 3 cards) with 4 players, five deals of 4 cards with 2. A new deal breaks any chain in progress.

Dealer

The player who deals. Chosen at random at the start, then rotating each round (passing to the right). The dealer plays last; the player on their right starts.

Khlassou(Khlasso, خلاصو)

Traditional word many dealers say when dealing the last hand of the round: “these are the last cards”. It belongs to table custom, not to the scoring.

Round(hand)

Playing through all 40 cards, from the first deal to the card count. A game usually has several rounds.

Side(team)

The team of two partners sitting opposite each other with 4 players, or the single player in 1 vs 1.

Game

A series of rounds until one side reaches 33 points; it ends instantly, even mid-round.

9a3a

An end-of-game rule used at some tables, with varying details. The Atlas Carta app does not use it.

Spanish deck(Spanish playing cards, baraja española, الكارطة, الورق الإسباني)

The 40-card Ronda deck: four suits of ten cards, values 1 to 7 then Sota, Cabal and Rey. No 8s or 9s.

Oros, copas, espadas, bastos(coins, cups, swords, clubs)

The four suits of the Spanish deck. They play no part in Ronda: only the value counts.

Ace(As, 1)

The card worth 1, the lowest. An Ace captures the run 1, 2, 3… if it is on the table.

Sota(jack, 10)

First face card, value 10. It comes straight after the 7 in a run.

Cabal(Caballo, knight, 11)

Second face card, value 11.

Rey(king, 12)

Third face card, value 12: the highest. A Ronda of Reyes beats every other Ronda; against another pair of Reyes it is a tie, and the declaration points are shared.

Want to see these terms in action? The Ronda rules go through them one by one with examples, and the Ronda scoring page has the full points table.