Tarneeb Syrian, also called Syrian 41 or simply 41, is the Syrian branch of the Tarneeb family and a favourite at tables across Syria, Lebanon and the wider Levant. Like classic Tarneeb it is a four-player trick-taking game with a 52-card deck, 13-card hands and strict follow-suit play, and like Tarneeb 400 every player bids for themselves and is scored individually.
Its signature twist is the revealed card. Before anyone speaks, one of the dealer’s cards is turned face up, and its suit decides the trump for that round — so every player knows trump before bidding. Bids run from 2 to 13 but skip 6 entirely, and from a bid of 7 upward every bid is worth double. That jump — a 5 is worth 5 points, a 7 is worth 14 — is the central gamble of Syrian Tarneeb. You still play with a partner, and your team wins only when one of you reaches 41 while the other stays above zero.
Play Syrian Tarneeb online free on Dananeer, on iPhone, Android or the web at play.dananeer.io. Set up a private room, talk with friends at the table through live voice and video chat, join cross-play games with players on any device, or practise offline against bots. Dananeer is free and never involves real-money gambling.
Cards and card ranking
Syrian Tarneeb uses a standard 52-card deck with no jokers. Cards rank from low to high 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace, and the Ace is always high. A trump beats any card of another suit; otherwise the highest card of the suit that was led wins.
Setup and the deal
Four players sit in two partnerships, partners opposite each other. Partnerships decide who wins the match; bidding and scoring are entirely individual.
- The full deck is shuffled and 13 cards are dealt to each player.
- One card from the dealer’s hand is shown face up to everyone — the revealed card.
- Bidding starts with the player to the dealer’s left and goes clockwise; the dealer bids last.
- The player to the dealer’s left also leads the first trick.
- After every completed round the dealer moves one seat clockwise.
How trump is decided: the revealed card
Nobody chooses trump in Syrian Tarneeb. The suit of the revealed card determines the trump for the round through a fixed pairing of the suits — and the trump is always the paired suit, never the revealed card’s own suit. Everyone at the table can see the revealed card, so trump is public information before the first bid.
The revealed card is not removed from play: it stays in the dealer’s hand and is played like any other card. There is no trump-selection phase and no no-trump option.
Objective of the game
Each player tries to take at least as many tricks as they bid. Extra tricks earn nothing, but since the four bids usually add up to more than 13, players compete for tricks even against their own partner.
Over the match, your partnership wins when one of you reaches 41 and the other is above zero.
Bidding in Syrian Tarneeb
Each player bids exactly once, in turn, choosing from this ladder: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. A bid of 6 is not allowed.
- There is no pass, no raising and no second turn.
- Bids do not have to beat each other — two players may bid the same number.
- There is no personal minimum: any player, at any score, may bid 2.
- The four bids together must total more than 11 (at least 12). This minimum never changes.
- If the bids total 11 or less, the hand is dead: the same dealer re-deals, a new card is revealed and a new trump is set. Nothing is scored.
Playing the tricks
Trick play follows the standard Tarneeb rules: you must follow suit when you can.
- The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick; each trick’s winner leads the next.
- Any card may be led, including a trump.
- With no card of the led suit, you may trump or discard — you are never forced to trump or to overtake.
- The highest trump wins; if no trump was played, the highest card of the led suit wins.
Scoring: the value of each bid
Each player is settled individually: make your bid and you gain its value, miss it and you lose exactly that value. Overtricks earn nothing and there is no sweep bonus.
Bids below 6 are worth their face value; from 7 upward they are worth double, rising all the way to 26 for a bid of 13. Unlike Tarneeb 400, the values never depend on your score.
| Bid | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 |
Winning the match: reach 41 with your partner above zero
The target is 41. A partnership wins as soon as, after a round, one partner is on 41 or more and the other partner’s score is above 0. Reaching 41 while your partner is on 0 or below does not win — play continues until your partner climbs above zero or the other team wins.
If both partnerships qualify in the same round, the one whose leading partner has the higher score wins; if those are equal, the higher combined score wins.
How Syrian Tarneeb differs from Tarneeb and Tarneeb 400
- Versus classic Tarneeb: trump comes from a revealed card instead of being chosen by an auction winner.
- Versus classic Tarneeb: every player bids once, individually, and is scored individually; there is no pass and no Kaboot bonus.
- Versus Tarneeb 400: trump changes every round instead of staying fixed for the match.
- Versus Tarneeb 400: the bid ladder skips 6, there is no score-based minimum bid, and the table minimum is always 12.
- Versus Tarneeb 400: bid values keep rising to 26 at 13 instead of capping at 40 from 10 up, and they never depend on your score.
Strategy tips
- Look at the revealed card before anything else. Knowing trump before you bid means you can count your trumps exactly — a hand long in trump is worth far more than one that is not.
- Treat 7 as a big decision. Bidding 5 risks 5 points, but bidding 7 risks 14, and 6 is not available as a middle step.
- If you are the dealer, you bid last and see the other three bids; use that to judge how many tricks are really left for you.
- Once you have made your bid, keep taking tricks — overtricks are free and they can set opponents who over-promised.
- Watch your partner’s total. Getting to 41 does not win if your partner is on 0 or below, so help them make a safe bid when you are close.
Frequently asked questions
What is Syrian 41?
Syrian 41 is another name for Tarneeb Syrian, the Syrian version of Tarneeb in which trump comes from a revealed card, every player bids individually, and a partnership wins at 41.
How is trump chosen in Syrian Tarneeb?
It is not chosen. One of the dealer’s cards is revealed to everyone, and its suit sets the trump for the round through a fixed suit pairing — never the revealed suit itself.
Why can’t you bid 6 in Syrian Tarneeb?
The bid ladder is 2, 3, 4, 5 and then 7 to 13. Bids up to 5 are worth their face value and bids from 7 are doubled, so there is a clean jump between the two.
What is the minimum total of bids in Syrian Tarneeb?
The four bids must add up to more than 11. If they total 11 or less, the hand is thrown in and re-dealt by the same dealer with a new revealed card.
How many points do you need to win Syrian Tarneeb?
The target is 41. Your team wins when one partner has 41 or more and the other partner is above 0.
Can you pass in Syrian Tarneeb?
No. Every player must bid exactly once from the ladder, and the minimum bid is always 2 regardless of score.
Can I play Syrian Tarneeb online with friends?
Yes. On Dananeer you can play Syrian Tarneeb online free in a private room with voice and video chat, or offline against bots, on iPhone, Android and the web.
