22ra

22ra (translated “to 22” points) is a card-driven game that simulates basque hand-pelota games between 2 players, or 4 players when playing doubles. The objective is to score 22 points by playing cards, so that the opponent cannot or does not want to reach the ball or makes a foul when hitting the ball.

The game consists of three separate decks of cards:

     The Player Trait’s cards, consisting of 
         Movement cards (Mugimendu) 
         Force cards (Indar), and
         Skill cards (Abilezia)
    
     The Serve Deck (Sake), with 
         Normal serve cards (Arrunta) and
         Risky serve cards (Ausarta) 
    
     The Hit Deck, which consists of three Subdecks: 
         The Bounce Back cards (Botez Atzera), the ball is hit after it bounces
         The Defence Volley cards (Airez Defentsa), the ball is hit before it bounces
         The Good-play cards (Jokaldia), with different special hits and plays. 

The board represents the fronton, divided in 7 squares (A1, A2, B1, B2, D, F and R), contains also a scoring track and 5 Timeout spaces for each player (Atsedenaldiak).

Each player chooses seven Player Trait cards, at least 4 Movement cards. Then each player is dealt 4 Good-play cards. A start player is chosen randomly (the server in the first point) and the game can begin: the server chooses a Serve card. If the serve is good, the receiver must hit it back either after the ball bounces (from the same square where the ball is, using a Bounce Back card) or before the ball bounces (from the square directly in front of the ball, using a Defence Volley card). Play continues until one player fails to hit the ball (cannot/does not want to hit or hits a ball badly), therefore losing the point (Falta) or the other player makes a great hit, directly winning the point (Tanto). After each point, the players recover a Player Trait card and replenish their hand of Good-play cards (up to 4 cards). The first player reaching 22 points wins immediately the game.

In double games, the teams are formed by a Forward and a Defender, and the games are also played to 22 points. The rules are the same, except that each player chooses 4 Player Trait cards (at least 2 Movement cards) and that they can exchange the Good-play cards before the start of each point.