Leekha

The Description of Leekha

Site Editorial Commentary：Leekha (ليخة) is an "evasion-type" trick-taking card game for four players.

Leekha (ليخة) is a captivating "evasion-type" trick-taking card game designed for four players.

The primary objective in Leekha is to strategically avoid accumulating points throughout the game.

The game concludes when any player's score reaches the pre-determined game-ending threshold (51, 101, or 151 points).

The ultimate victor is the player who manages to maintain the lowest point total at the game's end.

Number of Players: 4
Deck: Standard 52-card deck
Rank: Ace (high) to 2 (low)

Setup:
Each player is dealt 13 cards to begin.

Gameplay:
A single round of Leekha consists of two distinct phases: the Passing-Cards Phase and the Playing Phase.

Passing-Cards Phase:
Each player selects three cards from their hand and passes them face down to the player on their right. Players must pass their cards before examining the cards they receive from their opponent.
A player can choose any card to pass unless it is the last card available from the suit chosen.
An exception to this rule is when the Leekhas are involved. A player is allowed to pass the queen, king and the ace of spades regardless of how many spades cards are left in hand. A player is also allowed to pass the ten, jack, queen, king and the ace of diamonds regardless of how many diamond cards are left in hand.

Playing Phase:
The player to the right of the dealer initiates the first trick.
Players are required to follow suit if possible. If a player is void in the suit led, they must play one of the Leekhas – the queen of spades or the ten of diamonds – if available. If a player holds none of the Leekhas, a card from any other suit may be discarded.
The highest-ranking card of the suit led wins the trick. The winner collects all cards from the trick, placing them face down in a single stack in front of them. The winner of the previous trick leads the next trick.

Points are accumulated by acquiring the following cards:
- Queen of Spades, known as the black Leekha (13 points);
- 10 of Diamonds, known as the red Leekha (10 points);
- Hearts (1 point each);
for a total of 36 points per round.

Future versions of the game will introduce:
Partnership Play: The current version focuses on solo gameplay.
Rule Variations: The ability to customize game rules to suit player preferences.