Banakil
This page is based on information provided by Sultan Ratrout.
Introduction
Banakil is a Rummy game played in Jordan, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon. Banakil is the plural form of bankal / bankaleh, which is the Arabic word for the wild Two, Twos and Jokers being the wild cards in this game.
Players and Cards
Banakil can be played by 2, 3 or 4 players. If there are 4 players they can play as partners, two against two, partners sitting opposite each other. Otherwise, all players play as individuals.
A pack of 106 cards is used, made up of two standard international 52-card packs plus two jokers. Twos and Jokers are wild cards; all other cards from 3 up to Ace are natural cards.
The deal and play are counter-clockwise.
Deal
The cards are shuffled by the dealer and cut by the player to dealer's left. Each player is dealt a hand of 18 cards, normally either in batches of 2, going 9 times around the table, or in batches of 3, going 6 times around the table. The next card is dealt face up to the table (also known as the ground) to start the discard pile. The rest of the cards are stacked face-down in the center of the table next to the face-up card to form the stock pile.
Play
The player to dealer's right begins, and the turn to play passes to the right.
A turn consists of picking up a card from the stock pile or one or more cards from the discard pile, optionally melding some cards from your hand by placing them face up on the table, and finally discarding a card.
Draw and discard
To begin your turn you must either
- draw the top card from the stock, and put it in your hand without showing it to the other players, or
- take one or more face up cards from the top of the discard pile. The cards in the discard pile are overlapped and spread out so that players can see all the available cards. You may take as many cards as you wish but if you take a card from lower down in the discard pile you must also take all the cards above it - i.e. all cards that were discarded after it.
It is always permissible to take a card or cards from the discard pile, even if the player has not previously melded. For example the first player may take the face up card that was dealt to the ground, even if it is a wild card (Two or Joker). There is no obligation to meld any card that is taken. You may take cards from the discard pile and keep them in your hand for later use if you wish.
After drawing, you may meld cards if you are able to and wish to - see below. If you have any cards left in your hand after melding you must discard one card face up on top of the discard pile to end your turn.
A player who takes the top card only from the discard pile is not allowed to discard the same card. Apart from this, there is no restriction on what can be discarded. Wild cards can be discarded if not needed. It is also legal to take two or more cards from the top of the discard pile and discard the card that was originally on top, so that the top card of the pile is the same as it was before you turn, even a card or cards that were immediately below it have been removed.
Melding
Melding (nzool) is placing a valid combination (meld) of three or more cards from your hand face up on the table. There are two types of meld: the sequence (siri) and the set or group (majmoo’a / groop). Each player has a specific area in front of him for melding his cards.
During your turn, after drawing from the stock pile or discard pile, you may meld any number of valid combinations, placing them face up in your own meld area. Provided that you already have at least one combination in your own meld area (which could have been placed in the current turn or a previous turn) you have two additional possibilities.
- You may expand a meld belonging to yourself or your partner by adding one or more cards to it.
- If a meld belonging to yourself or your partner contains a Joker and you have in your hand the natural card that the Joker represents, you may place the natural card in the meld in exchange for the Joker, which you take into your hand.
These two options are explained in more detail below.
Please note that:
- You are never allowed to meld in your opponents' meld areas, or to add or exchange cards in your opponents' melds.
- You cannot start a new meld in your partner's meld area - you can only add to melds that your partner has put down. You are not allowed to add cards to your partner's meld or exchange a real card for a Joker melded by your partner before you have melded at least one valid combination of your own in your own meld area.
- Partners' melds are kept separate. Any cards that you add to your partner's melds are placed in your partner's meld area and are scored exactly as though your partner had melded them.
Sequences
A sequence consists of three or more consecutive cards in the same suit. For this purpose the cards rank in order 3-4-5-6-7-8-9-T-J-Q-K-A, Three being the lowest card allowed in a sequence and Ace the highest. The cards of a sequence are laid out in ascending order from left to right from the point of view of the player who owns the sequence.
Twos and Jokers are wild. A Two or a Joker or one of each can be used as substitutes for any cards of a sequence, but not more than one Two and not more than one Joker in any given sequence.
A player who has melded may add a natural card to his own or his partner's sequence. For this purpose any Two or Joker in the sequence may be freely moved to another position in the sequence, provided that the sequence remains valid, consisting of consecutive cards.
A player may substitute the appropriate natural card from hand for a Joker in his own or his partner's sequence, provided that the cards in the sequence remain consecutive. The Joker can be used in another meld immediately of it can be taken into the player's hand and kept for later use. A Two cannot be removed from a sequence, it can only moved to a new position in the sequence.
A sequence that has been melded can grow to any length, up to 12 cards, but cannot be split apart into smaller sequences. If a sequence consists of 11 natural cards and a Two, the final natural card of the suit can be added and the Two remains attached to the sequence, making a 13-card sequence.
Examples
The following are valid sequences that could be melded:
7-8-9
J-Q-K-A
2-
5-6 - the 2 represents the 4- 10-Joker-2 - the joker represents the J and the 2 represents the Q
The following are not valid sequences, for the reasons specified:
- A-2-3 - sequences can only run from 3 at the lower end as far as Ace at the upper end. A Two cannot be used as a natural card in a sequence.
- K-A-2 - technically invalid as placed, but if the 2 is moved to the left hand end these cards form a valid sequence with the 2 representing the Q.
- 7-2-9-2-J - it is illegal to use more than one 2 in a sequence. If one of the twos were replaced by a Joker this would be OK.
- Joker-J-2-Joker-A - it is illegal to use more than one Joker in a sequence, but without the left-hand Joker the sequence would be valid.
Adding cards to a sequence:
- To 7-8-9 it is possible to add a 2 or a Joker at either end or the 6 on the left or the 10 on the right.
- To 2-5-6 it is possible to add a Joker at either end or the 3 or the 7. The 4 can be added, displacing the 2 to either end, or the 8 can be added by moving the 2 so that it represents the 7.
- To 10-Joker-2 no further wild card can be added, since it already has a 2 and a Joker, but 9 or K could be added. Also the J could be added by moving the Joker to either end, or the Q by moving the 2 to either end. The 8 could be added by first moving the 2 to the left-hand end to represent the 9. The 7 could be added by moving both wild cards to the left end to represent the 8 and 9.
Exchanging a card for a Joker in a melded sequence:
- In the sequence 4-2-6-Joker-8 it is possible to take the Joker in exchange for the 7 from hand, or to take the Joker in exchange for the 5 by first interchanging the two wild cards.
- In the sequence 10-Joker-2 it is possible to take the Joker in exchange for the 8, 9, J or Q by adjusting the position of the 2 as necessary to make the resulting sequence valid.
Sets / Groups
There are just two types of group / set:
- Threes (Taras): a set of three or four Threes of different suits.
- Aces (Qsoos / Gsoos / ’Asoos): a set of three or four Aces of different suits.
Sets of other ranks are not valid.
One Joker can be used as a substitute for one of the cards in a set. A set cannot contain more than one Joker, and Twos cannot be used as wild cards in sets at all. A Joker melded as part of a set can be reclaimed by the owner of the set or their partner in exchange for a matching card of a different suit from those in the set.
Examples
The following are valid groups (sets) that could be melded:
- 3-3-3
- A-A-A-A
- A-A-Joker
The following are not valid groups (sets), for the reasons specified:
- K-K-K - sets can only be made with Threes or Aces.
- 3-3-3 - a set cannot contain two identical cards.
- A-A-2 - a Two cannot be used as a set, not even as a wild card.
- 3-3-Joker-Joker - only one Joker can be used in a set.
- A-A-A-A-Joker - a set cannot contain more than four cards.
Adding cards to a group (set) and exchanging for a Joker:
- To the set 3-3-3 a 3 or a Joker can be added.
- To the set A-A-Joker a A or A can be exchanged for the Joker.
- To the set 3-3-3-Joker nothing can be added but the Joker can be reclaimed in exchange for the 3.
End of the play
When a player manages to dispose of all the cards in his or her hand, the play ends and scores are calculated. The play can end in on of three ways:
- A player draws a card, melds all but one card from hand, and discards the last remaining card.
- A player draws a card and melds all cards remaining in hand, leaving nothing to discard. This is the only case in which a player's turn can end without a discard.
- The last card of the stock pile is drawn, but after the discard at the end of that turn all players still have at least one card in their hands. In this case no one scores.
It is customary for a player who holds only one or two cards to warn the other players, saying 'one card' or 'two cards'. A player holding one card could end the game at the next turn by drawing a card that can be used to expand a meld. A player holding two cards could end the game if the drawn cards fits with those two to make a new meld. Of course it is also possible for a player with three or more cards to end the game by melding, especially if the player has chosen to hold back some valid melds, keeping them in hand for tactical purposes.
There is a special score for a player who ends the game by melding his or her entire hand in one turn, with or without a discard, when neither this player nor the player's partner in team game has previously anything. Melding all at once in this way is called 'dhamoon' or 'hand'.
Scoring
Before the game the players should agree on a target score. Each player or team keeps a cumulative score, and the first team to reach or pass the target wins. When four players play in partnership the target is usually 303 points. When two players play as individuals the target is usually 150. When three people play the usual target is 203 points.
At the end of the play scores are calculated on the basis of the cards in each player's meld area and the cards remaining in the player's hands. The card values are:
| 3, 4, 5, 6: | ½ point each |
| 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K: | 1 point each |
| Aces: | 1½ points each |
| Deuces: | 2 points each |
| Jokers: | 4 points each |
The basic score for each individual player is the total value of the cards in the player's meld area minus the total value of the cards remaining in the player's hand. This can result in a negative score.
The player who ended the play with no cards in hand has a bonus of 20 points added to his or her basic score.
A player who has melded nothing at all does not count the value of cards in hand but instead receives a fixed score of minus 20.
In an individual game a player who melds his or her whole hand at once, putting down cards and ending the play in a single turn without previously having melded anything, receives a fixed score of 40 points. There is no score for melded cards in this case. It is as though the player scores a fixed 20 points for the melded hand plus 20 points for going out.
In a partnership game, the fixed score of 40 points for melding cards all at once only applies if none of the other three players has melded. If the player's partner of any opponent has melded there is no special score for melding all cards at once: the player will score the value of the actual cards melded plus a bonus of 20.
In an individual game the scores of each player are added to their cumulative totals. A player's cumulative total score can thus be negative.
In a partnership game the team of the winning player scores the winning player's score. The opposing team adds together their individual scores and subtracts the score of the winner's partner.
Fractional total scores are rounded to the next whole number to the benefit of the player or team: a positive score is rounded up but in a negative score the odd half-point is ignored.
Examples
- Two-player game. Player A melded all his cards and the total value of the melded cards is 24½ points. Player B melded some cards for a score of 6 points but the cards remaining in B's hand have a value of 11½ points. Result:
- A scores +45, made up of 24½ plus for melds plus a bonus of 20 for getting rid of all his hand cards: total 44½ rounded in A's favour to 45.
- B scores -5. B scores +6 for melds but -11½ for cards in hand for a total of minus 5½ rounded in B's favour to -5.
- Two-player game. Player B melded his entire hand in one turn with a value of 21 points. Player A did not meld any cards. Result:
- A scores -20, because he melded no cards. The value of the cards in A's hand is not counted.
- B scores +40, the fixed score for going out all at once.
- Two-player game. Player A melded his entire hand in one turn with a value of 22 points. Player B has melds worth 12 points and 9 points in hand. Result:
- A scores +40, the fixed score for going out all at once.
- B scores +3, this is 12 points for melds minus 9 points for cards in hand.
- Four-player partnership game. North and South play against East and West. West melded all his cards for 26½ points. East has melds worth 14 points and the remaining cards in East's hand are worth 6½ points. North has melds worth 17 points and just 2 points remaining in hand. South has not melded any cards. Result:
- East and West score +47 points: 26½ for West's melds plus the 20-point bonus for going out, rounded up.
- North and South score -13 points. North has 15 points: 17 for meld less 2 in hand. South scores the standard -20 for a player who has not melded. East scores 14 for melds less 6½ for hand cards, and the resulting 8½ points will be subtracted from opponents' total. 15 + (-20) - 8½ = -13½ rounded to -13.
- Four-player partnership game. South melded all her cards at once with a value of 25 points. North has not melded. East has just 3½ points for melds and 16 points in hand. West has 10½ points for melds and 9 points remaining in hand.
- North and South score +45 points: 25 for melded cards plus 20 for going out.
- East and West score +9 points. East's individual score is -12½ (3½ minus 16), West's score is +1½. North's score of -20 for not having melded becomes a positive score for the opponents. -12½ + 1½ + 20 = 9. No rounding needed.
- Four-player partnership game. East melded all his cards at once. No one else has melded anything.
- East and West score +40 points: fixed score.
- North and South score -20 points: (-20) + (-20) - (-20).
Variants
In a partnership game some play that each team adds together the individual scores of its members, and scores the rounded total. That is, the score of the partner of the player who went out is counted for that team's score rather than against the opponents. Using this method, the last three examples would be scored as follows.
- Example 4. East and West score +55 (=26½+8½+20). North and South score -5 (=15-20).
- Example 5. North and South score +25 (=25+20-20). East and West score -11 (=-12½+1½)
- Example 6. East and West score +20 (=40+[-20]). North and South score -40 (=[-20]+[-20])
Some play that when the cards are cut, the player to the left of the dealer, when performing the cut, looks at the cut card - the bottom card of the section that is lifted from the top of the pack. If this is a wild card - Two or Joker - the cutter takes it and looks at the next card, takes that too if it is another wild card, and continues taking wild cards until the exposed card on the bottom of the cut section is a natural card. The cut is then completed and there will be a natural card on the bottom of the drawing deck. When dealing the cards the dealer skips the cutter for as many rounds as the number of wild cards taken, so that the cutter will begin with a hand of 18 cards, like the other players. For example if the cutter took two wild cards the dealer will skip the cutter twice and deal only 16 cards to this player to make a hand of 18 cards.
In a few groups, if a player melds all his cards at his first turn to play, before some players have had their first turn, any players who have not had an opportunity to play score zero points rather than -20. So for example if the player to dealer's right melds all his cards at the very start of the game, his team scores +40 and the dealer's team scores 0.
Jawaker rules
At jawaker.com an online Banakil game for four players is available. Below is a list of some differences that have been observed in the past between the rules of the online game and its documentation and the version described above. The Jawaker implementation is periodically updated so users may find that some of the items below may no longer apply.
- No card is dealt face up to start the discard pile. Instead the first player, to the dealer's right, is dealt an extra card. In the very first turn of the game, the first player, who already has 19 cards, does not draw a card, but simply melds if he can and wishes to, and then ends his turn by discarding one card face up to the floor to begin the discard pile.
- When melding a sequence that includes a wild card, the player determines what the wild card represents by its position in the sequence. This is the only card that can later be substituted for the wild card. It is not possible to change the value of the wild card in order to add or substitute a different card. For example in the sequence 6-7-Joker the 9 can be added or the 8 can be exchanged for the Joker. It is not possible to move the Joker to represent the 5 instead of the 8, so the 4 cannot be added to the sequence. The 5 can be added but the player does not take the Joker in exchange.
- When the real card represented by a wild card is inserted in a sequence, the player of the real card chooses to which end of the sequence the wild card should be moved, thus determining how the sequence can be extended in future.
- Aces are only worth 1 point instead of 1½.
- If a player melds all his or her cards at once, having not previously melded, the player's team scores 51 points if the other team has melded or 102 points if the other team has not melded. The opposing team scores nothing.
- The target score to win the game is 222 points.