President

Go out first to become President; last place gives up top cards

Offline

Play against bots, no connection needed.

Players
Bot skill
Hands
Revolution rule

Online play

Match with other players. Start when the table is full.

Live matches

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How to play

  • 4 to 5 players, one 52-card deck without jokers, all dealt out. With 4 players, each gets 13; with 5, two players get 11 (from the second hand on, the President and Vice President) and the other three get 10.
  • Ranks from low to high: 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K A 2. Suits don't matter.
  • In the first hand, the player holding the 3♣ leads and can play anything. In later hands, the previous hand's Beggar leads.
  • The lead can be a single, a pair, three of a kind or four of a kind. Others must play the same number of cards at a higher rank, or pass; after passing, you can still play when your turn comes again.
  • When everyone else passes, the round ends and the last player to play leads again; if that player is already out, the next player leads.
  • The order of going out sets titles: 1st is President, 2nd Vice President, last Beggar and second to last Vice Beggar; with 5 players, the middle one is Citizen.
  • From the second hand on, cards are exchanged first: the Beggar gives their 2 best cards to the President, who gives back any 2; the Vice Beggar gives their best card to the Vice President, who gives back any 1.
  • Each hand scores the number of players minus your place: with 4 players, 3, 2, 1 and 0 points. A game is 4 hands by default (8 optional), and the highest total wins.
  • Optional revolution rule: after a four of a kind, the rank order reverses (3 highest, 2 lowest) until someone plays another four of a kind; each hand starts with the normal order.
  • Online, each move has a 20-second limit; on timeout, a play is made for you and auto-play starts.

Playing guide

These options and rules describe the current JoyPip version. Choose a mode above before starting; rules are also available during play.

Step-by-step examples

Select a step to see what changes. These are partial examples, not full starting positions.

Practice options

Players
4 players · 5 players
Bot skill
Beginner · Normal · Expert
Hands
4 hands · 8 hands
Revolution rule
Off · On

Private room options

Players
4 players · 5 players
Hands
4 hands · 8 hands
Revolution rule
Off · On

Detailed rules and controls

Play cards
  • Ranks from low to high: 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K A 2. Suits don't matter.
  • The lead can be a single, a pair, three of a kind or four of a kind; all cards in a play must be the same rank.
  • To follow, play the same number of cards at a higher rank; an equal rank doesn't beat it.
  • You can pass if you can't or don't want to beat the play. If the round isn't over when your turn comes again, you can still play.
  • When everyone else still in the hand passes, the round ends and whoever played last leads again.
  • If the last player to play has already gone out, the next player after them who is still in leads.
Titles and exchange
  • The first player out becomes President and the second Vice President; the last becomes Beggar and the second to last Vice Beggar.
  • With 5 players, the middle player is Citizen and takes no part in the exchange.
  • From the second hand on, cards are exchanged after the deal: the Beggar gives their 2 best cards to the President, who then gives back any 2 cards.
  • The Vice Beggar gives their best card to the Vice President, who then gives back any 1 card.
  • Cards given back can include ones just received. Only the two players in an exchange can see the cards traded.
  • After the exchange, the Beggar leads. The first hand has no exchange; the player holding the 3♣ leads and can play anything.
Scoring
  • Each hand, you score the number of players minus your finishing place: with 4 players, 1st gets 3 points, 2nd 2, 3rd 1 and last 0.
  • With 5 players, 1st gets 4 points, each place 1 less, and last 0.
  • After 4 or 8 hands, the highest total wins; players tied for the top score share the win.
Revolution (optional)
  • With the revolution rule on, playing four of a kind immediately reverses the rank order: 3 is highest and 2 is lowest.
  • Another four of a kind restores the normal order. Plays are always compared using the order in effect at the time.
  • Each hand starts with the normal order, and the exchange also uses the normal order to decide the best cards.

Frequently asked questions

Can a single 2 beat a pair?

The previous player played a pair of 9s, and you have a pair of Js and a 2. You can beat it with the Js, but a single 2 can't beat a pair. Save the 2 for when singles are being played; it often wins back the lead so you can get rid of your remaining low cards in a row.

Do I need a download or a linked email?

Play directly in your browser without a download. Linking email is an optional way to recover your account. Before clearing browser data, consider whether you need to keep your account or local records.

Do matches earn or spend coins?

Earn coins by checking in and spend them on cosmetics. Matches never cost or award coins.

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