Pasur (card game)

Fishing card game of Persian origin

Pasur or chahar barg (پاسور; also spelled Pasour or Pasur) is a fishing card game of Persian origin. Played widely in Iran, it is played similarly to the Italian games of Cassino or Scopa and even more similarly to the Egyptian game of Bastra. Pasur is also known by the names Chahâr Barg (4 cards), Haft Khâj (seven clubs) or Haft Va Chahâr, Yâzdah (7+4=11, the significance being that players want to win 7 clubs in a game of 4 card hands where 11 is a winning number).

The name "pasur" entered Persia from the Russian Пacyp during the 19th century along with the playing cards themselves.

One standard pack of 52 cards and 2, 3 or 4 players who take turns being dealer. Object of the game is to get the most points based on winning certain cards.

Four cards face down to each player and four face up to form the “pool” in the middle of the table. If one of the cards in the pool is a Jack, it gets cut back into the deck and is replaced with a new card, and if this is a Jack as well or if there are multiple Jacks in pool, dealer reshuffles and deals again.

Cards may be picked up as follows. Number cards (including Aces, which are assigned the numerical value of one) pick up one or more other cards with which they combine to form a sum of eleven. (For example: The pool contains Ace, 2, 2, 4 and 10 in varying suits. A player needs to play a 10 to pick up the ace, a 9 to pick up either one of the twos, an 8 to pick up the Ace and one of the 2's, a 7 to pick up the 4 or both of the 2's, a 6 to pick up the Ace and either the 4 or both 2's, a 5 to pick up the 4 and one of the 2's, a 4 to pick up the 4, a 2 and the Ace, a 3 to pick up the 4 and both 2's, a 2 to pick up the 4, both 2's and the Ace, or an Ace to pick up the 10. The other cards would remain in the pool.) A King picks up one King, a Queen picks up one Queen. A Jack picks up all Jacks and number cards on the table, but not Kings and Queens. When a player only has a single card left in the last hand of the deck, all remaining cards in the pool are picked up when the player is able to match: a) a king king b) queen queen c) combine to form a sum of 11. (Basically, on the last hand of the deck, whoever picks up the last card gets to pick up all remaining unmatched cards from the table).

A Sur (or Soor) occurs when a player clears all remaining cards from the pool. There are two exceptions:
When a Jack is used to pick up all remaining cards from the pool, this is not scored as a Sur. A Sur may not be scored in the last round of play. Players keep track of their Surs by turning a card face up in their winnings pile. Note: It is not possible for a Sur to occur when the pips on the cards in the pool total more than ten. It is also impossible to score a Sur when there are multiple face cards or a mix of number cards and face cards in the pool.

Once the deck has been exhausted and points have been tallied, deal passes to the left and the pack is dealt out anew. Game continues until someone's score is 62 or more points. If players are tied, play continues until the tie is broken.

Pasur Ru Baaz (Persian : پاسور رو باز, literally "Open Pasur") is a variant identical to a 2 player game of Pasur, the only difference being that one card in each player's hand is always kept face up on the table, making it visible to both players. Players may play any of their own open cards, the card beneath the played card, which was previously hidden from both players, is then turned over (becomes visible to both players).

This three player variant follows the rules for the standard game, with one variation in scoring for clubs. : If two players tie for having the same number of clubs, then it is the third player who scores 7 points for clubs, even though they have fewer clubs than the other players.