Booray (Bourré)
Overview
Booray is a fast Louisiana-style trick-taking game built around a central pot, trump declaration, and a strict “make three tricks or pay” outcome. Each hand, everyone antes, someone names trump, and five tricks are played. The declarer who succeeds takes the pot; anyone who fails to take three tricks busts and pays into the pot.
Objective
Win chips from the pot by declaring trump and taking at least three tricks, or by forcing others to bust when they declare and fail. The last player with chips wins the session.
Setup
1.
Players: 3–7 (recommended 5). Each starts with 12 chips. First to 40 chips (or last player with chips) wins.
2.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck (aces high).
3.
Pot: Empty at session start; antes accumulate each hand.
4.
Deal: Five cards to each active player. The first dealer rotates between games: Player 1 deals the first hand of the first game, Player 2 of the next, and so on round the table.
5.
Ante: 1 chip per player into the pot at the start of each hand.
Players who cannot afford the ante are eliminated for the rest of the session.
Turn Structure (Each Hand)
1.
Ante — Every active player puts 1 chip into the pot.
2.
Trump declaration — Starting left of the dealer, each player may pass or accept as declarer by naming a trump suit. The first player to declare sets trump. If everyone passes, cards are reshuffled and the hand redeals with a fresh ante (the pot carries forward).
3.
Play five tricks — The declarer leads to the first trick. Follow suit if able; trump beats non-trump; otherwise the highest card of the led suit wins. The trick winner leads the next trick.
4.
Settlement — Count tricks. Anyone with fewer than three tricks busts and pays 1 additional chip into the pot (if they have chips). If the declarer took three or more tricks, the declarer wins the entire pot. If the declarer busted, the pot stays for the next hand.
5.
Redeal — Dealer rotates clockwise among remaining players.
Valid Moves
•
Pass — Decline to declare trump on your turn.
•
Declare trump — Name clubs, diamonds, hearts, or spades and become the declarer.
•
Play a card — Follow suit when possible; otherwise any card.
Scoring / Pot Settlement
Declarer wins the entire pot
Declarer busts (pays 1 into pot); pot remains
Any player takes ≤2 tricks
That player busts and pays 1 into the pot
Non-declarer takes ≥3 tricks
Safe — no bust payment (only possible when the declarer also busted)
Special Rules
•
First eligible player left of the dealer who accepts sets trump (no auction).
•
Redeal if all pass — pot remains; everyone antes again.
End Conditions
•
A player with zero chips cannot ante and is eliminated.
•
The last player with chips wins the session.
•
Alternatively, the first player to reach 40 chips wins.