Morra

Morra is a traditional hand-gesture game played in parts of Italy and the broader Mediterranean region. It is a fast-paced guessing game that blends probability, quick counting, and bluffing. In its common form, two players participate. Each round, players simultaneously reveal a number of fingers (usually zero to five) and call out a bid for the total number of fingers that will be shown by both players. After the bid and the gesture, the actual total is revealed and used to determine the winner of the round. Rules vary by locale: in some versions a correct bid earns a point for the bidder, in others the bidder loses if the total does not match; some play to a fixed score, while others use rounds as bids without fixed points. The game is characterized by its speed and the strategic element of reading an opponent's tendencies and attempting to mislead them.

Origins and regional spread: Morra has deep roots in Italian folk culture and is believed to date from medieval or early modern times. It spread to other parts of Europe and North Africa through trade and migration and exists under several regional names and rule variants. It is typically played in informal settings such as fairs, markets, or family gatherings, and remains a social pastime in some communities.

Other uses: the term Morra is also used as a surname and appears in place names in Italy. The word and its variants are sometimes encountered in literature and ethnographic accounts as examples of traditional hand games.