Wasta

Inspired by the 2019 anti-government protests in Lebanon, Wasta is a satirical card game about everyday life inside a dysfunctional political system. Each card represents a familiar force in Lebanese life, such as the bank, the judge, the police officer, the nosy neighbour, and the sectarian thug. The game is played over a series of rounds. At the beginning of each round, players are dealt a single card that they keep hidden. On a turn, a player may draw a card from the deck or use the ability of the card in their hand. The round ends either when only one player remains or when the deck runs out, in which case the player with the highest remaining card wins. That player receives a Tarboush token. The first player to collect 5 Tarboushes (or 3 in the short game) wins.