This exciting card game is suitable for anyone to learn to play. It's a perfect way to kill some time and have fun with family, friends or people you meet while traveling! The rules outlined here are the Vietnamese variant; there is a Chinese variant as well, so make sure you ask the other players what variant they want to play if they are experienced players. Note that this game is also called "Struggling Upstream", and it is a four player game.
Steps
- Clarify the rules beforehand. A lot of people play with slightly different rules in different places, and it's best to be clear about what you can and can't do before the game begins to avoid confusion or frustration during the game. In this version, the rules are as follows:
- The strongest to weakest goes in this order: 2,A,K,Q,J,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3.
- The strongest suit is Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, and Spades but this rule only works when playing the same card.
- The strongest to weakest goes in this order: 2,A,K,Q,J,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3.
- Get a full deck of cards and shuffle them.
- Deal out 13 cards to each player. Each player is allowed to look at their cards, make sure to clarify this.
- Identify who has the 3 of Spades. This person goes first and may place whatever type of hand they would like on the table, as long as it uses the 3 of Spades. For example: 3-4-5, double 3s, etc., will work fine.
- Determine which way the turns will be going (clockwise or counterclockwise). The next person will try to beat the previous person's hand.
- Place a higher hand than the player before you, following the same type of hand. For example, if they place a pair, you must play a pair that has a higher value of the one before you. If they play a single, you must play a single.
- Skip if you cannot place anything on the table, the turn will go to the next person. Once you skip, you may not play another card until the round finishes.
- Bomb the pile if you have one (refer to Tips) and you think nobody else has a higher one; it can only be beaten by a higher bomb. You will gain "control" if everyone skips and can play whatever you want.
- Play whatever type of hand you want on the table if nobody can beat what you put down, even if it's not a bomb. It could be a pair of the highest twos, for example.
- Once you have played all your cards but your last, you must declare to the group that it is your last card. However, the game may end on a double or straight card play. Try to be the first one out of cards, as this is how you win the game.
- You only beat a 2 if you have a double straight or quad of any cards.
- You win automatically if you have quad 2's or a dragon (3-A)
Tips
- The numerical value of cards goes from 3-2, with 3s being the lowest value card and 2s being the highest.
- The symbol values go in the following order (lowest to highest): Spades, Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts.
- You can play the following types of hands:
- A single: One card that beats the previous one in value.
- A pair: Two cards that are the same number (for example, 2 of Spades & 2 of Clubs) and beat the previous one in value.
- A triple: Three cards that are the same number and beat the previous one in value.
- A straight: Three or more consecutive cards (for example, 9, 10, J, Q).
- A bomb: These come in several forms. Four of a kind is a bomb. Pairs that form a 3+ straight (for example, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5) is a bomb. Four of a kind can beat all other bombs other than a higher four of a kind.
- A single: One card that beats the previous one in value.
- Play your lowest cards first if you don't have a strategy; it often helps in the long run. Otherwise, if you have a strategy, you should play that.
- Practice playing often and you will become better.
- In the Class Struggle variation, only four people can play. There are four ranks - King, Queen, Jack, and Pauper. The pauper must give his two highest cards to the king and the jack must give his highest card to the queen before game play. In turn, the king and queen choose 2 (king) or 1 (queen) card to give back to the jack and pauper respectively. The king can also choose if people can trade to obtain four of a kind.
- Have a strategy when you play.
Warnings
- Don't be a poor sport if you win or lose. Bragging when you win isn't good, yet neither is chiding someone for losing.
- Do not get mad at someone if they keep winning. It was just the luck of the draw and/or good strategic moves on their part.
Things You'll Need
- Full deck of cards
- 2-4 players
- A hard surface
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