I hope everyone enjoyed learning about Tarneeb.  Now here are a few tips to beat your competition:

1) The bidding process is the most important part of most sets in Tarneeb.  Its important to understand what your partner is communicating during the bidding process.  If you bid a suite and your partner changes the suite by outbidding you, they are likely saying that they either are weak in the suite that you called or are very confident in the new suite that they called.  Try to avoid out bidding your partner if at all avoidable and only do so if you are very confident in your hand.

2) Winning a bid of more than 7 is tough if you have 4 or less cards of the suite you are bidding on, even if you hold AKQ of that suite.  Make sure you and your partner are on the same page before going more than 7 with 4 or less cards in the called suite.

3) If you have a strong hand in two suites and are calling before your partner, pick the lower suite.  So if you have near equivalent cards in Clubs and Spades, call the Clubs, so that your partner can easily outbid you if they need to without resorting to upping the number of tricks your team will need to take the set.

4) If you win the bid and have most of the face cards for your called suite, lead trump immediately to drain the trump from the other players.  This will make sure your opposing team can’t use their trump to cut in on a suite that you are long in.

5) If you know your partner is short a suite (either because they have cut in previously or they suspiciously played a high card that they knew couldn’t take the trick [like playing a queen when the ace of that suite has already been played in the set]), its usually a good idea to lead that suite back if you can.

6) Remember what suite your partner called during the bidding process, even if they didn’t win the bid.  If you are able to lead and don’t hold a card that you think will win the trick, lead the suite your partner called.  Its likely they will be able to take the trick.  This is true for remembering what the opponents have called as well.  Avoid leading suites in which the opposing team called during the bidding process unless you know you have the dominant card yet to be played.

7) Aces and Kings of fail suites are important.  If you have a weak trump hand, but a good amount of kings and aces, you can bid confidently.

8) Taking 11+ tricks is very difficult and doesn’t happen in most games.  Bid carefully when going over a bid of 9 tricks and if you do so, make sure you are very strong or short in fail suites as well as have 5+ cards of the trump suite you are calling.

9) If you are sure that your partner will take the trick, but you don’t have the suite that was played, try to play a non-trump card in a suite that you want your partner to play when they get the lead.  This can either be a suite where you have the dominant card that is still to be played (such as the ace) or a suite in which once you play your card you will no longer have that suite (so you know you can cut in with trump).  If you don’t have a suite that you want your partner to play, make sure to NOT play a suite you know that your opponents will take.

10) The most important rule, which is true for all trump games, is to count trump.  Every set has 13 trump cards (unless no trump is called).  You should always know how many have been played and thus how many are still in other players’ hands.  This is true as well for remembering which aces and to a lesser extent which kings have been played.

Enjoy Tarneeb and spread the word.

Tarneeb (or “Trump” in Arabic) is a trump style card game similar to Eucre (but a bit more fun and strategic) played throughout the Middle East.  Its a great game to share with 3 friends while passing the time away smoking a hookah.

Tarneeb uses a standard deck of playing cards less the two jokers and is played with two teams of two players per team that sit opposed to each other. The dealer, deals the cards out evenly to the 4 players (13 cards a piece). Once the hand is dealt, players must bid to call a trump suite. Starting from the player right of the dealer (counter clockwise), players bid for the number of tricks (or rounds) that they think they can take with the minimum being a bid of 7 tricks. For the bidding process, the order of suites goes Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, then Clubs.  So a player that bids 7 Clubs can be out bid by the next player if they call 7 Diamonds, which can then be outbid by a call of 8 clubs (and so on).  Since each player has 13 cards, there is a maximum bid of 13 as there are 13 tricks per set. The bidding goes around the table until there are no further bids.

Once the bidding is complete, the “called” suite is trump, or the master suite.  The trump suite can take any trick where a fail suite is dominant.  The player that won the bidding leads the first card with the other players playing their cards in counter-clockwise order. All players MUST follow with the lead suite if that suite is in their hand.  If the player does not have that suite, they may play any card in their hand, including a trump card.  Playing a trump card when a fail suite was lead is called “cutting.”  The player who played the highest card wins that trick.  The player that wins the trick then leads the first card of the next trick.

Example: Player 1 wins the bidding with a bid of 8 Spades.  Player 1 leads a fail ace of clubs.  Player 2 follows with the 2 of clubs, player 3 plays the 10 of clubs but player 4 is out of clubs so they play the 2 of spades. Player 4 wins the trick since they were able to play a Trump card, even though Player 1 had played a higher face value card, the ace of clubs.

Both teams attempt to take as many tricks as possible.  If the team that won the bid gets the number of tricks that they bid or more tricks, they earn the point value of the bid (if they bid 8 Spades and take 8 or more tricks they would earn 8 points).  If the bidding team fails to earn at least the number of tricks that they bid then the bidding team loses the amount that they bid and the “setting” team (the non-bidding team) earns points equivalent to the amount of tricks that they took (or won).

Example: Player 1 bid 8 Spades but his team was only able to take 6 tricks.  Player 1 and their partner Player 3 then lose their bid of 8 points and the team of Players 2 and 4 gain 7 points as they had taken 7 tricks to set bidding Player 1 and their partner Player 3.

Once a set has been completed, the dealer position moves to the right (counter-clockwise) and another set is dealt. The game is won by one team earning 31 points or can be lost by a team losing more than 31 points (in other words having a score of negative 31).  Games can have as many sets as needed in order for one team to lose (earn -31) or win (earn +31) the game.

Note that table talk is violating the rules of Tarneeb.  Players on the same team can not communicate what is in their hand at any time through innuendo or otherwise.  Players can only communicate to each other via the cards that they play or the bids that they make.  The lack of partners knowing what is in each other’s hand is an important aspect to the strategy of Tarneeb.

Regional Rules:

A couple of new regional rules that I learned while playing Egypt:

1) Dekik: A player can call “Dekik” in the event that they have a poor hand.  A player can call Dekik only if the hold in their hand a card value of less than 4.  Card value is assessed as: Jacks = 1, Queens = 2, Kings = 3, and Aces = 4 (card of 2-10 have no value).  So if a player has a only a king in their hand, they can call Dekik, but if a player has two Queens they can not call Dekik.  In the case of a player calling Dekik, their partner gets to ask two questions about their partner’s hand that is limited to asking whether their partner (who has called Dekik) has master’s in a particular suite (meaning that they can ask if their Dekik calling partner has a playable hand if a suite is successfully bid).  After the partner asks their questions, the partner that did not call Dekik can decide to either re-deal the set or continue playing even though they know that their partner holds a weak hand.  A person can also call “exactly Dekik” when they have exactly 4 points in their hand, which does not allow the partner to ask questions or a re-deal but will notify their partner that they have a weak hand and to bid with caution.

2) Doubling: When a bid is settled but before the first card is played, a player on the non-bidding team can double the set.  Meaning that whatever number of tricks that was bid the point value is then doubled (so if a bid of 8 Spades is called, and a player on the non-bidding team doubles, if the bidding team wins they will earn 16 points, but if they lose they will lose 16 points and the setting team will earn double the number of tricks they take).  Once a double has been made, the bidding team can re-double, to quadruple the amount of points at stake.

For more information on Tarneeb, check out the Wikipedia Page.  Since Tarneeb can only be played with 4 players, I also recommend learning an old Wisconsin favorite, SheepsHead, which is played with 3 or 5 players.  With those two games and a deck a playing cards you should be covered for most of your lounging shisha sessions.

A lot of memories flooded back to me when I landed at Terminal 1 at Cairo International Airport.  Had it really been 6 years since my last pilgrimage to the place that later inspired the original HoboHookah?  Would I even recognize this dynamic and crazy city and this country that had opened my mind to so many things?

Well, Cairo is still Cairo, that’s for sure.  While this trip lacked the frequent trips to the ubiquitous Shisha Cafes, which had been a main touchstone for me, my astute eyes did glean what has changed in hookah etiquette in the place that popularized the pipe in the Middle East and abroad.

But first, what’s new in Egypt?

1) Cairo International’s International Arrivals terminal is now really nice and surprisingly efficient and friendly.  Back in 2004, it was an intimidating arrival to an otherwise kind, albeit hectic, city.

2) The visa is brand new.  While its still $15 or 15Euros (make sure you have a $20 spot of hard currency with your passport when you arrive), the two postal stamps have been replaced with a full page, hologramed sticker, that looks official. PRO-TIP: When you arrive, go straight to the Bank of Misr stand and purchase your visa, then go stand in the customs line.  You’ll need a passport, the visa, and the customs form in order to gain entry.

3) More good news at CAI is that if you fly in using Egypt Air, you’ll land at Terminal 3, which is brand new and beautiful.

4) The cell phone network seems as good as anywhere in the world, which is a huge change.  If you have a smart phone, call up your provider and get an international data plan for the time you are there.  They’ll still charge you an arm and a leg for phone calls, but unlimited data is about $30 extra.  Definitely worth it.  Egypt has several providers with great 3G coverage and you’ll see most of the Cairene elite holding new model BlackBerries and iPhones.

5) Cairo now has flashing road signs and some stop lights.  Traffic is still crazy though.

6) Metered cabs: Gone are the days of hopping into 70’s model black and white Peugeot fire traps where you have to negotiate fiercely for sensible cab fares.  The new all white cabs have air conditioning and meters that make getting around in Cairo much more comfortable and friendly.

Those are the big things.  Overall they are great pluses for the traveler.  Now is a great time to see the pyramids.

Now on to shisha. Shisha is still served nearly everywhere, from Italian Restaurants to haute Nile side cafes.  One big thing I noticed off the bat were the hoses.  When you order a shisha in Egypt, the pipe comes out with a disposable hose that’s fresh and clean.  This is a great move to keep shisha smoking sanitary and flavors crisp.  Other new and old notes for smoking hookah in Egypt:

1)  It’s customary in Egypt to have your own shisha.  In the west, mostly due to cost and taxes levied on shisha cafes, hookah pipes are usually shared at cafes.  In Egypt, expect to order your own.  Shisha is still inexpensive, and when in Cairo, be Cairene.

2) Tip the coal man.  When your smoke is getting light, signal the coal man and ask for “Wilah (or fire in Arabic)”.  At the end of session, tip the coal man at least 1EGP.  If its a group, its nice to tip 3-5EGP if the coal man has been giving you good service.  This is in addition to any other service charges or tips you leave for drinks or food (generous tipping in Cairo is an additional 10%, but service charge is included on most bills, so additional tips aren’t necessary especially if the service was poor).

3) Tea is still the main drink of choice while smoking shisha.  Its still mostly Lipton yellow tag served with a bowl of sugar.  Try the “Chai Na’na”, which is lipton with mint.  Its awesome.

4) Word from my Cairo friends is that Tornado’s in Medan Aswan is now sketchy and the shisha there is no longer top of class.  If you are looking for a good place, try Sequoia on the Nile.  Its pricey, but it has great reviews for both shisha and food (there is even great, safe Sushi which has the rep of being the best in Egypt).  Expect a 100EGP (about $20) minimum there, so make sure you come looking for food as well.

5) There is now an Airport Mall at CAI, which has two cafe’s that both serve shisha attached.  If your plane gets delayed or you get to the airport early, just walk across the street of Terminals 1 and 2 and pass the time away.

6) If you are feeling spry, have packed your HoboHookah, and don’t want to leave your gate, all terminals at CAI have smoking sections.  We’d love to see a pic of a HoboHero in there smoking a HoboHookah out of a water bottle (no liquor bottles, respect the culture!) to pass the time away and enjoy a few longing stares.

7) The trendy cafes now serve Al Fakher instead of Nakhla.  Not sure if this is a plus, but if you can ask if the flavor is “Shisha Fakher” as the brand is known in Egypt.

That’s it.  Ill post a cheeky follow up next week on how to play the Middle East’s favorite card game, Tarneeb, but till then, keep living the dream.

PS Dahab is still awesome as ever. Its worth going to Egypt just to soak that place in.

If you are talking “places to smoke hookah” than you have to talk about Egypt.  This is the place that has truly embraced the hookah culture to a point that it could rival any bar hop or coffee shop following here in the States.

Hookah is everywhere in Egypt, and particularly Cairo.  If you want to live like a Cairene, than you will have to embrace hookah. 

There are what I would call three main groups of hookah bars in Cairo:

• Tourist bars, that serve good hookah with beer.
• Upscale cafe’s that serve excellent hookah with fruit juice and food.
• Local joints, which serve up double apple and zhargoule with little cups of delicious, sugary tea.

Depending on the night, anyone of these locals is an excellent spot to hit.  If you want a good tourist bar (or rather a place to get a beer and a hookah), definitely hit Hotel Odeon, in Tahrir Square.  This place is frequented by expats (more so than tourists) as well as upper class Egyptians.  It sports a great roof deck, central location, and $2 Stellas (the local brew in Egypt).

If you are looking for a place sans beer and plus some great fruit juice and food options, hit Tornado’s, in Midan Aswan.  This place has the best shisha I have ever smoked.  We recommend the Cappuccino “Tornado” hookah, which comes with a coffee filled vase and two heads of cappuccino tobacco.  There is a 20EGP minimum, so be prepared to kick it there for a while.

Finally, if you have been in Cairo for a bit and have built up a solid network of cool Egyptian dudes, ask them about some of the traditional cafes.  They are all over the place, I use to go to one called Almas up in Nasr City.  But be aware: These places are for the real men of Cairo, and only serve Zhargoule (traditional, heavy hitting tobacco) and sometimes Double Apple Nakhla.  If that doesn’t sounds like a good night to you, stick with the places on the main drag.

And, for the extra point: There is only one hookah cafe you must hit if you are in Egypt, and that is the historic and famous Fishawy’s in Khan al-Khalil.  This crowded cafe is older than the mosques across the street and is located in the midst of a famous market.  Its a great place to wonder around and pick out your hookah prize and then kick-it to some Egyptian music, sweet tea and meticulously served hookah.

We have more on hookah in Cairo over at the Hobocan’s Happy Hour.  Shoot us your Cairo tips, if you’ve been.

“I was scheduled to go to Israel in early May along with a group of forty kids. For the months building up to the trips, my friends that had been to the holy land before told me it was crazy. They had everything. Bars, girls, and even hookahs graced the streets from Jerusalem all the way to Tel Aviv.

Being from the Midwest, my friends and I weren’t so hookah savvy. We would rather go cow tipping if we had the chance. It can be done. Due to my lack of hookah smoke I was a novice without much experience. It wasn’t until after the organized trip that I had a legitimate hookah experience. A friend of mine took me out for a night on the town. We started with a couple beers, and made our way to one of the biggest hookah bar in Israel. If hookahs died and went to heaven they would go to this place. The shelves were lined with hookahs, differing in all sorts of shapes and sizes. One in particular that caught my eye had a hose with a very elaborate cobra design on it. They seated my friend and I at a table, and to my surprise brought forth the mythical hookah from dreams complete with the Cobra hose.

I brought the hose to my lips, and prepared for a puff. I sucked in and absorbed the taste, white peach. To this day it is the best flavor that I have ever smoked. The smoke that came out of my mouth was whiter than the clouds in the sky. I was hooked. We smoked several bowls that night before we retired to bed. From that moment on I was always smoking a hookah. Once I woke up I went back to the bar and bought my treasure. From the moment it was mine, I decided to always keep its beauty pure by lighting it up at least once a day.”

Thanks Max A. for sending us your tale from abroad.  Keep living the dream man!  Anyone else on the planet earth have a sweet hookah bar in another part of the globe?  Shoot your story here.

The first stop on my adventure was in Tiberias, one of the Four Holy Cities in Israel.  With a phenomenal view overlooking the Sea of Galilee and a group of close friends gathered on a rooftop, I knew that the opening day deserved a righteous celebration.  So I chose to make the first move.

A quick trip to the nearest grocery store resulted in a pack of coals, some Kosher Chinese takeout, an assortment of beers, and a large bottle of Bacardi rum that required speedy consumption.  Several shots later, the mood was right, the bottle was vanquished, and we were all set to go.

Locked, stocked, packed, and lit, the HoboHookah became the centerpiece for a small, but boisterous party.  Not long after we had begun, a group of off-duty Israeli soldiers came toward our little jamboree.  My first reaction was on the defensive – I assumed we were in trouble.

I cautiously smiled, they paused.  They asked to join, my smile grew.  I quickly realized that these people were just like us – all they wanted was a good time and delicious puff of hookah.  Using the HoboHookah as a conversation starter, we got to know each other throughout the night, with the discussion venturing deeper into culture, politics, and dreams.  The party lasted well past the break of dawn and served as the perfect opening line to an amazing adventure.

Ah, Oman: What a diamond in a pile of Zirconium. We here at HoboHookah have stamped our passports in a good portion of the Middle East. Its of course where our passion for the hookah sport was born. But out of all those destinations there is something special in Oman.

Driving in to Oman from Dubai is a sight: Leaving the glitz of high towers for the rolling mountains of Oman was a relief. Then, arriving in Muscat, with its white, low-profile buildings, wide Malibu-esque palm lined boulevards was like arriving in an Oasis. In fact, we stayed at the Oasis Hotel on the south side of town, which we recommend for its cheap rooms (in still a pretty expensive city) and its interesting…after hours bar.

Oman, and Muscat, offer a lot more than meets the eye: Wadi Bashing in the western desert. Swimming in the Warm currents of the Indian ocean and of course smoking shisha while sipping some sweet tea. If you’ve forgotten your HoboHookah at home, we recommend the fine smoke and kabob of Fishawy’s, named after the famous hookah bar in Cairo’s Khan El-Khalili.

While Oman is definitely a vacation from the rest of the Arabian Peninsula, its still a conservative, although accepting country. Try pioneering your own party style there, Difficulty: Leave the alcohol in Dubai.

Thanks to David Z and company for the the hookah pictures from Oman. Keep living the dream!

Been to Oman or the Middle East? Shoot us your story at mail@hobocans.com

Yes, that is a hookah made out of a Mayo jar. Those must have been some tough times… but we dig it. Thanks John! Hope your view of Manama is sweet atop that cinder block!

And in Dubai, hot day after a long plane ride. The Hobo was there to take the edge off paired with a little duty free Absolut:

Colombia isn’t know for its love for tobacco, but the Hobo goes where ever we go:

This one time I flew through Barcelona on my way back from Egypt. I checked my massive, stainless steel Egyo shisha at the airport to lighten my load. Big mistake. Kabul Hostel, the premier party hostel in Barcelona is a keen place to light up a hookah. Wont make that mistake again:

Duty free Absolut is the bottle of choice. Works everytime.