Hazari is a vying or comparing game which is commonly played in Bangladesh and other surrounding areas (such as Bhutan). Hazari (which translates to "1000") also commonly goes by the name "1000 Points" which describes the number of points a player is required to score in order to be victorious.
Hazari is designed to be played by four players using one standard deck consisting of 52 cards. In that deck, the ranking of the cards are as follows (from high to low): Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
Determination of dealers and seating positions can be performed using a variety of methods, with draw for high cards very common. Each player would thus draw one card from the shuffled deck, taking seats at the table in the order from highest card drawn to lowest. The player drawing the highest card of all would be set as the first dealer. For each subsequent hand, the role of dealer rotates from player to player in a counter-clockwise direction around the table.
The dealer would thoroughly shuffle the deck and offer it to the player at his left to cut. After the cut, the dealer would then begin dealing cards, one by one and face-down starting with the player at his immediate right. He continues dealing the cards in a counter-clockwise direction until each player has 13 total cards, which should consist of the entire deck.
After the deal is completed, each player then picks up his hand for examination. The ultimate goal of the game is to win the most card points at the end of the hand, which is done by arranging the cards into the highest three card combinations. After the deal, each player then arranges his hand into four individual and different groups of cards. We will thus create three groups of three cards each and one of four. The following chart shows the various types of combinations which can be arranged by a player into these groups, from the highest to the lowest:
| Combination | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Troy or Trial | This is a combination consisting of three cards of the same denomination (such as three Kings or three 5's). In comparing two such combinations of this type, a Troy of higher ranked cards will beat a Troy of lower ranked cards. |  |
| Colour Run | A Colour Run consists of three cards in sequence of the same suit (i.e. 8, 9, and 10, all of Clubs). Although the Ace is considered the highest ranked card in each suit (making a Colour Run consisting of King, Queen, Ace, the highest ranked Colour Run), it should be noted that for purposes of a Run, an Ace can also be used before the two. When used in this way, the Colour Run consisting of Ace, 2, 3 is considered the second highest ranked Colour Run. For comparison of other Colour Runs, the Run headed by the highest ranked card is considered the highest such run. |  |
| Run | A Run is three cards in direct sequence which are not of the same suit (i.e. 5 or Clubs, 6 of Spades and 7 of Diamonds). Although the Ace is the highest ranked card in this game (thus making a run consisting of Queen, King, Ace the highest ranked Run), the Ace can also be used in a Run before the two (for the run Ace, 2, 3), which is the second highest ranked Run. For comparisons of other Runs, the Run containing the highest ranked card is considered the highest such Run. |  |
| Colour | Three cards of the same suit but not in direct sequence. For comparisons of multiple such Colour combinations, the Colour containing the card of the highest individual rank is considered the highest combination. |  |
| Pair | A pair is a three card combination consisting of two cards of the same denomination and any third card of another denomination. In comparing multiple such Pairs, the Pair of higher ranked cards is considered the highest. If the Pairs are of equally ranked cards, the combinations are then compared based on the highest rank of the third unmatched card in the combination. |  |
| Indi (also called Individual) | This is a combination that does not conform to any of the previous, higher ranked categories, and is thus ranked based on the highest card amongst the three. In comparing two such combinations of this type, the combinations are ranked based on the rank of the highest cards in these three card combinations. |  |
If, after applying these ranking rules, it is still found that two or more players have combinations that are equal, the last of these combinations exposed during a specific round is considered the higher.
Although one of the combinations consists of four actual cards, the fourth card of that combination does not actually contribute to that combination but is just set alongside it, with that hand only ranked by three cards of the players choice from that combination.
After each player has the opportunity to create the four arrangements of face-down combinations of cards, the player would then arrange these combinations in front of himself, from the highest to the lowest. The combination containing the extra, fourth card, should be the lowest ranked card of the four the player has created. Once a player is satisfied with his combinations, he states "Up", indicating he is ready to move to the next phase of the game. Once stating this, however, a player may no longer re-arrange his combinations as he has set. After all four players have stated "Up", the next phase of the hand begins.
This phase consists of the players comparing these combinations, starting with each player's highest and proceeding to the lowest (the four card) combination. Thus, to start this phase, the player to the immediate right of the dealer turns over his first and highest combination exposing it for all the players to see. Each other player, in a counter-clockwise direction does the same until all four players have exposed his highest combination. Whichever player has the highest of all four combinations (as ranked per the chart above), takes all the cards from these compared combinations and places them in a won cards pile for scoring at the end of the hand.
After this, the player who had the highest such combination then exposes his next highest combination that he had created from his original hand. Each other player, in a counter-clockwise direction also exposes his next best combination. Similarly to the first round, the player with the highest of these combinations takes all the cards from these combinations, adding them to his won cards pile, to the side.
This continues with the third best and then, lastly the fourth best combination. It should be remembered, that each players lowest combination should also be the combination which had included the extra, fourth card (although that card does not actually calculate into the rank of those combinations).
Once all the combinations have been exposed and the constituent cards won by the players, each player sorts through his won cards from the hand to calculate his score for the hand. The following chart shows the value of each card in the deck:
| Card | Point Value |
|---|---|
| Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10 | 10 Points Each |
| 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 | 5 Points Each |
The points earned by each player during the hand are added to an accumulated game score for that player. Once one or more players reach or exceed a total of 1000 accumulated points (thence the name of the game), the player with the highest total is declared the winner of the game.
