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:

1. The Player Trait’s cards, consisting of
   • Movement cards (Mugimendu)
   • Force cards (Indar), and
   • Skill cards (Abilezia)
2. The Serve Deck (Sake), with
   • Normal serve cards (Arrunta) and
   • Risky serve cards (Ausarta)
3. 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.