Last Updated on May 12, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Trex—also spelled Trix—is a popular compendium card game widely played in Middle Eastern countries, including Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Palestine, and the UAE. With a mix of trick-avoidance and shedding mechanics, Trex offers a unique blend of strategy and variety across five distinct contracts, making it a dynamic and engaging game for four players.

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How to Play Trex

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Table of Contents

1. Players, Cards, and Dealing
2. The Five Trex Contracts
3. Scoring
4. Doubling Rules
5. Strategy Tips
6. Variations

Players, Cards, and Dealing

Trex is designed for four players, using a standard 52-card deck without jokers. Cards rank from Ace (high) to 2 (low) within each suit. Gameplay and dealing proceed counter-clockwise.

To start a game session:

• Shuffle and cut the deck.
• Deal 13 cards to each player, one at a time.

During the first deal, the player who receives the 7 of Hearts becomes the “Kingdom Owner.” This player selects the first contract to be played and continues as dealer for the next four rounds, choosing a new, unused contract each time.

After the five contracts are completed, the Kingdom passes to the right. Each player will eventually own one Kingdom, choosing all five contracts during their reign. The full game consists of 20 deals—five per player—with every contract played once by each person.

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The Five Trex Contracts

1. Sheikh Koobbah (King of Hearts)

• Goal: Avoid taking the King of Hearts.
• Penalty: The player who captures this card scores –75 points.
• Restriction: Hearts cannot be led unless the player has only hearts in their hand.

2. Dinari (Diamonds)

• Goal: Avoid taking diamond cards.
• Penalty: Each diamond captured scores –10 points.
• Players must display diamonds taken face-up in front of them for tracking.

3. Banat (Girls)

• Goal: Avoid capturing Queens.
• Penalty: Each Queen taken scores –25 points.
• Like Dinari, captured Queens are kept face-up in front of the player.

4. Eltoosh (Slapping / Collection)

• Goal: Avoid taking tricks.
• Penalty: Each trick captured scores –15 points.

5. Trex (Trix)

• Goal: Be the first to shed all your cards in a solitaire-style layout.
• Play starts with Jacks and continues upward to Aces and downward to Twos in each suit.
• At your turn, play a card if possible:
  • Any Jack
  • Or a card one rank higher or lower than a card already played
• If you can’t play, pass.
• Scoring:
  • 1st out: +200 points
  • 2nd out: +150
  • 3rd out: +100
  • Last: +50

Special Rule:
If a player holds all four Twos—or three Twos and the Three of the fourth suit—they may call for a redeal. The dealer then chooses any contract not already played.

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Scoring Summary

Each contract has a point system that contributes to a zero-sum total. After all 20 deals, the sum of all players’ scores will equal zero. Here’s a breakdown of available points per contract set:

• Sheikh Koobbah: –75
• Dinari: –130
• Banat: –100
• Eltoosh: –195
• Trex: +500

Game End: After all players have completed their Kingdoms (5 deals each), the game ends. The final scores indicate net wins or losses.

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Doubling Rules (Optional Variant)

Players may double penalties in two contracts by revealing cards before play:

King of Hearts (Sheikh Koobbah):

• Holder of the King may expose it before the first trick to double the stakes:
  • If another player captures it → –150 to the taker, +75 to the holder.
  • If the holder captures it → –150 to holder, +75 to the player who led the trick.
  • If the holder leads it and wins → –75 (no bonus to others).

Banat (Girls):

• Holders of Queens may expose them to double the value:
  • If another player captures the Queen → –50 to the taker, +25 to the holder.
  • If the holder captures it themselves → –50, +25 to the trick leader.
  • If holder leads and wins with the Queen → –25 (no bonus to others).

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Strategy Tips

• Sheikh Koobbah is best chosen when holding multiple hearts—this increases the chance of discarding the King safely.
• Eltoosh spreads points across players, while Koobbah can result in large swings against a single player.
• In Trex, low cards (especially Twos) are liabilities. Holding sequences (like 7–6–5) can provide strong plays when lower cards are out.

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Game Variations

• No Doubling: Some play without the doubling mechanic.
• Mandatory Discards: In some versions, if a player can’t follow suit, they must discard a penalty card if possible.
• Reversed Scoring: Some play with reversed scoring: positive points for taking cards/tricks, negative for Trex, aiming for a low final score.
• Fixed Contract Order: In some regions (e.g., Jordan), the contract order is preset.
• Partnership Play: Played with two teams of two; players still keep individual scores, but combined totals may determine winners.
• Trex Complex Variant: A dealer may combine multiple contracts (e.g., Dinari + Banat + Eltoosh) into one round. This shortens the game but increases variance and is not recommended for balanced play.

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Conclusion

Trex is a highly interactive and mentally engaging card game that blends trick-avoidance, tactical shedding, and strategic planning. With its rotating Kingdoms, varied contracts, and scoring depth, Trex keeps players thinking and adapting throughout all 20 rounds. Whether you’re dodging Queens, slapping tricks, or racing to empty your hand in Trex, this traditional Middle Eastern favorite deserves a place at every card table.