Xeri – Rules
Play Xeri against the computer
1. Overview
| Name | Xeri (Greek Ξερή) |
| Type | Fishing game: take the pile |
| Players | 2 to 4 (four in teams) |
| Recommended age | 7 and up |
| Playing time | one hand 6–10 minutes; a game to 51 points 20–40 minutes |
| Material | 52 cards, pen and paper |
| Goal | Take the discard pile as often as possible, make xeris and be first to 51 points. |
| Difficulty | easy |
What is it about? Xeri is a popular family game in Greece and Cyprus. A face-up pile grows in the middle. Whoever plays a card of the same rank as the top card – or a jack – takes the whole pile. If the pile held only a single card, that's a “xeri” and scores many extra points.
2. Cards and material
- Pack: 52 French cards without jokers.
- Rank: Only rank counts (A, 2 … 10, J, Q, K); suits don't matter.
- Jack: always takes the whole pile.
- Point cards:
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Ace, king, queen, jack, 10 | 1 each |
| 10 of diamonds | 2 (instead of 1) |
| 2 of clubs | 1 |
- Face up and face down: Hands concealed, the pile face up (only the top card counts), captured cards face down; xeris are placed crosswise face up.
3. Preparation and start
- Shuffle and cut.
- Deal: Everyone gets 6 cards.
- Pile: 4 cards are placed face up on top of each other in the middle. If the top one is a jack, it is slipped underneath.
- Start: The player after the dealer begins.
- Dealing again: When all hands are empty, everyone gets 6 new cards.
Start example: Player 2 deals. An 8 is on top of the pile. Player 1 holds an 8, a jack and four other cards.
4. Goal and winning
- Hand: Lasts until all cards have been played.
- Game: The first to 51 points wins.
- Tie: Play another hand.
5. Play in detail
A turn. You place exactly one card on the pile:
- Same rank as the top card: you take the whole pile.
- Jack: you take the whole pile (if it isn't empty).
- Otherwise your card stays on top of the pile.
Xeri. If the pile holds just one card and you take it with a card of the same rank, that's a xeri: 10 points. A jack on a single jack: 20 points.
End of the hand. Whoever captured last takes the cards left in the pile.
Example with Players 1 and 2.
- An 8 is on top. Player 1 plays his 8 and takes the whole pile (5 cards).
- The pile is empty. Player 2 plays a queen.
- Player 1 also has a queen and takes it: there was only one card – xeri, 10 points!
- Now Player 1 must place a card on the empty pile again.
6. Scoring
| Category | Points |
|---|---|
| Most cards | 3 |
| Each ace, king, queen, jack, 10 | 1 |
| 10 of diamonds | +1 (2 in total) |
| 2 of clubs | 1 |
| Xeri | 10 |
| Xeri with jack on jack | 20 |
- Recording: One column per player or team.
7. Special rules and situations
- Jack on an empty pile: Takes nothing; the jack stays there.
- Jack on top at the start: Is slipped under the pile.
- Last card: A xeri with the very last card of the hand often doesn't count (variant).
- Tie on cards: Nobody gets the 3 points.
- Common mistakes: wasting a jack on a small pile; leaving your opponent a single card that's easy to xeri.
8. Variants
Standard in this description: 6 hand cards, 4 starting cards, game to 51.
| Variant | What changes | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| 101 points | Longer game. | long evenings |
| Four players | In teams, partners opposite. | groups |
| Pişti | Turkish sister game with 4 hand cards and different scoring. | a change |
| No jack xeri | Jack on jack counts only 10. | beginners |
When playing against the computer on cardgames.zone you play with two to four players (with four, partners opposite), to 51 or 101 points.
9. Tips for beginners
- Save jacks: A jack on a big pile brings many cards.
- Prepare a xeri: Remember which ranks are still in play.
- Don't leave a single card: On an empty pile, prefer a card whose rank has already appeared often.
- Take point cards: Tens, face cards and aces score points.
- 10 of diamonds and 2 of clubs: These two are extra valuable.
- Keep count: Knowing how many eights are gone makes play safer.
- Last capturer: The leftovers at the end can be many cards.
10. Summary in 10 steps
- 52 cards, 6 cards each.
- 4 cards face up as the pile.
- Place one card on the pile.
- Same rank as the top card: take the whole pile.
- Jack: take the whole pile.
- Only one card taken: xeri (10, jack 20).
- Otherwise the card stays.
- Empty hands: 6 new cards each.
- The rest goes to the last capturer.
- Count points; first to 51 wins.
11. Frequently asked questions
What is a xeri?
You take a single card in the pile with a card of the same rank. It scores 10 points, 20 with jacks.
Does a jack always take?
Yes, the jack takes the whole pile – only an empty pile brings nothing.
Do suits count?
No, only rank.
Which cards score points?
Aces, kings, queens, jacks and tens 1 each, the 10 of diamonds 2 and the 2 of clubs 1.
What's the difference to Pişti?
Pişti has 4 instead of 6 hand cards and different scoring.
How long does a game take?
To 51 points about 20 to 40 minutes.
Origin & history
Xeri is a simple fishing game widespread in the eastern Mediterranean – closely related to the Turkish Pişti. In Greece it is one of the best-known family games.