As dawn approached, a gentle breeze swept through the stadium near baghdad’s heart, yet Qaid al-Sheikhli’s dishdasha was soaked with perspiration. He was deeply engrossed in a championship quarterfinal match of mheibes, recognized as one of the most mentally taxing games globally. His team, al-Sa’doun, trailed by a notable margin.

Mheibes, a traditional Iraqi game, demands remarkable skill in detecting subtle physical cues.Players conceal a ring in one hand, and opposing team members must identify it’s location. novices often struggle, but seasoned players exhibit remarkable accuracy.

Intrigued,I journeyed to Baghdad last year,where mheibes is believed to have originated. It is traditionally played on Ramadan nights after the fast is broken.The game’s origins are debated, with some claiming it began in the 16th century during Ottoman rule, while others trace it back to the Abbasid caliphate.

According to league officials, the modern rules of mheibes were formalized in the 1990s under Saddam Hussein, who promoted the game as a national symbol. Despite Hussein’s downfall, the game persisted, even after his own unsuccessful bluff. As then, the number of competing teams has increased dramatically, and organized tournaments now extend from Basra to Erbil. Last year, the Baghdadi Museum hosted a public mheibes game for women, marking a significant milestone.

During the April 2024 match between al-Sa’doun and Najaf, I sat near the judge, Jassem al-Aswad, a renowned figure in a green dishdasha. Al-Aswad is considered the greatest mheibes player alive, celebrated throughout Iraq.In 2008, amidst sectarian violence, he led a team onto the Bridge of the Imams, connecting a Shiite neighborhood to a Sunni stronghold. This bridge had been the site of a major civilian tragedy during the Iraq War and had recently reopened. Al-Aswad organized a game between players from both sides of the river, promoting peace.

Now in his early 70s, al-Aswad seemed content on the sidelines, engaging with fans and children. He also conversed with his old friend Ali al-Lami,the retired captain of al-Habibiya team. Together, we watched the match between al‑Sa’doun and Najaf, which continued past 5 a.m. It was al-Sa’doun’s turn to hide the ring.

Supporters used a gold-fringed fabric to conceal the team’s selection of the ring holder. In mheibes, defensive strategy is as vital as offense, and the ring’s placement involves intricate planning. The team captain might place his hands over each player’s fists, either inserting a ring or pretending to. Players who no the ring’s location might inadvertently reveal it. Sometimes,the captain adds extra rings,observing his teammates’ reactions. Using this details, he makes further adjustments until only one ring remains.

Once al-Sa’doun finished and the players were in position, the Najaf captains approached. As they moved among the al-Sa’doun players, al‑Lami leaned over to al-Aswad. “Jassem,” he said,”Second row. In the green,near the end. It’s him. But I can’t tell which fist.”

“Right fist,” al-Aswad replied. “I’ve played that guy before.”

We were at least 20 feet from the nearest player, and the man they identified was about 30 feet further. I strained to see, but my younger eyes couldn’t discern anything. Neither could Najaf’s star captain, who showed no sign of noticing anything unusual when studying the man in green.

Shortly after, the Najaf captains began eliminating players, counting out several in the second row. However, one of the dismissed players suddenly shouted “Baat!,” indicating he had the ring. It was the man in the green dishdasha, the one al-lami and al-Aswad had identified from afar. And, as al-Aswad predicted, the ring was in his right fist.

A mheibes captain’s talent might seem miraculous, yet if mheibes were fraudulent, the observed private conversation would also need to be staged. Mheibes suggests that the ability to detect deception through facial observation can be refined to an unusual degree.

Some researchers believe that certain individuals possess an innate ability to detect lies. Mark Frank, a communication professor, supports this view and has conducted lie-detection studies. He was surprised by the skills of mheibes captains. Frank speculated that their abilities might stem from challenging childhoods, such as growing up with alcoholic parents or in violent environments, where reading adults’ expressions could be crucial for survival. This reminded him of Jerry Yang, a poker master who spent time in a Thai refugee camp.

Iraq has experienced extensive wars,migrations,and humanitarian crises. even now, bombings still occur. Frank suggested that this habitat could foster individuals skilled at detecting subtle clues.

Though, when presented with this theory, mheibes players were skeptical. al-Sheikhli, al-Sa’doun’s co-captain, noted that mheibes predates the recent conflicts.He mentioned that one generation of players grew up in the 1970s, when baghdad was relatively peaceful.

“I grew up watching other captains. I played a lot.That’s how I learned,” al-Sheikhli explained.He demonstrated with a ring,pointing to a tendon between his second and third knuckle that sometimes bulges when someone holds the ring. He emphasized that captains learn to spot this through extensive practice. He surprised me by sharing this tip, as most mheibes players avoid discussing their strategies.

Though, even the best methods can become less effective as a match progresses.Ali al-Lami warned that mheibes changes after sunrise, making it harder to find the ring. Players may become impassive due to fasting or exhaustion, and captains may also tire. A viral video shows a captain struggling during a 15-hour match, appearing as worn out as a senator during a filibuster.

The quarterfinals match concluded after 9 a.m.,with Najaf scoring its 13th point.Fans left, food stalls closed, and players boarded buses. some men packed up the judge’s desk.In neighborhood games, winners traditionally receive sweets, but in major league mheibes, ther is no such prize.The Najaf players left empty-handed.

“Right fist,” al-Aswad replied. “I’ve played that guy before.”