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How to play?

Omi, also known as Oombi or Uomby, is a popular card game played in Sri Lanka, especially among Sinhalese communities. It's typically played with four players, forming two teams of two. The game involves a standard deck of 52 playing cards. Here's a basic overview of how to play Omi:

Objective:

The main objective of Omi is to win tricks by playing the highest-ranking cards or combinations of cards.

Setup:

  1. Divide players into two teams of two. Team members should sit opposite each other.
  2. Shuffle the deck of cards thoroughly and determine a dealer. The dealer should shuffle the deck and deal 5 cards to each player, one at a time, starting from the player to their right. The remaining cards form the draw pile.

Gameplay:

  1. Bidding: The player to the dealer's right begins the bidding round. Each player, in turn, can either bid a number of points they believe their team can win in tricks or pass. The bid should be a multiple of 5.
  2. The highest bidder gets to pick the trump suit. If all players pass, the cards are reshuffled and dealt again by the next dealer.
  3. Play: The player who won the bid leads the first trick by playing any card from their hand. Players must follow suit if possible; otherwise, they can play any card.
  4. The highest-ranking card of the led suit or the highest-ranking trump card wins the trick.
  5. The winner of each trick leads the next trick.
  6. At the end of each round, the teams count the points they won in tricks based on the cards they captured.
  7. Trump suit cards have higher values. The game typically consists of multiple rounds, and the team that first accumulates a predetermined number of points (e.g., 100 or 200) wins the game.

Additional Rules:

There are variations in the rules of Omi depending on the region and players' preferences. Some variants include restrictions on certain cards or specific bidding rules.

Communication between teammates is not allowed during the game.

Omi is a game of strategy, tactics, and teamwork. It's enjoyed by many in Sri Lanka and can provide hours of entertainment.