30-second version
Get rid of all your cards. Match the top card's number or suit. Can't match? Take one from the deck.
Some cards have powers — 2s and Black Jacks pile up fire (next player picks up), Red Jacks wipe the fire, Aces let you pick the suit, Queens have to be covered.
Down to 1 card? Hit LAST CARD before your next turn — or take a 1-card penalty. First to empty wins.
Setup & who goes first
Everyone gets 7 cards. Always 7, whether you're 2 players or 6. 2 to 6 players total. Play goes clockwise.
The host is the dealer in game 1. The first to act is the player to the dealer's left. After every game, the dealer "hat" passes one seat clockwise.
Aces are super-flexible
You can play any Ace as the first card of your turn — it bypasses the matching rule. The moment you play it, a suit picker pops up. Pick a suit (your turn ends, suit changes), or ignore the picker and keep playing more cards normally.
Fire chains
When someone plays a 2 or a Black Jack and ends their turn on it, they put "fire" on the table. The next player has to pick that fire up — UNLESS they can dump more fire on top (another 2 / Black Jack), or wipe it with a Red Jack.
Chains can get huge: someone plays a 2, you play a 2 (+4), they play a Black Jack (+9), you wipe it with a Red Jack — gone, all of it. If you can't dump or wipe, you eat the fire and end your turn.
Runs — your own fire is pending
During your turn you can play more than one card — a run. While the run is live, fire from your own cards (Jacks, 2s) is pending, not active. You can cover your own Jack with a Queen, run 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 same-suit, even play J♥ → J♠ → Q♠ — none of it fires until you press END TURN. The card you end your turn on is the one whose effect lands on the next player. Fire from another player landing on you is still live immediately — that part hasn't changed.
Bluffing with Last Card
You can press LAST CARD with any hand size — 1, 5, 10 cards, doesn't matter. Each press covers exactly one upcoming turn. Useful for psyching out opponents. If you don't go out on your next turn, the declaration expires — press again to re-arm.
Special endings (these are tricky)
- Queen as your last card — even with Last Card called. Queens must always be covered, so the game forces you to draw 1. You can then press LAST CARD again or just END TURN.
- Red Jack as your last card while fire is on the table — the Red Jack still cancels the fire (always), but you DON'T win. You draw 1. Press LAST CARD again or END TURN.
- Trying to win on a power card with "Finish on Power Card" OFF — Ace, 2, 8, Jack, King. Standard 2-card wrong-move penalty (plus any fire). Don't try it.
- Forgot to call LAST CARD before your final play? Engine draws you 1 penalty card. Cards you played stay on the discard. You then get a small window to press LAST CARD again — so forgetting once doesn't trap you in an endless loop.
Special 2-player rule
In a 2-player game, ending your turn on a King or an 8 means you play AGAIN. (King reverses → back to you. 8 skips your only opponent → back to you.) In 3+ player games, no extra turn — just normal reverse / skip.
Running out of cards
When the draw pile gets down to 1 card, the deck reshuffles automatically. The top of the discard pile stays where it is; every other card gets shuffled back into the deck. Game keeps going.
Table collapse (rare)
If everyone goes a full lap without playing or drawing any cards, the engine declares TABLE COLLAPSE. The player holding the most cards gets forfeited — their hand goes back into the deck to unstick the game. If two players are tied for largest hand, the round ends in a stalemate. Translation: don't try to hoard the whole deck.
The 6 toggles (alternative rules)
- Queens a S*** — ON, any card covers a Queen (no suit match needed). OFF, strict: same suit or another Queen (Ace still bypasses). Note: Queen-on-Queen is ALWAYS allowed, any suit, regardless of toggle.
- Jacks on 2s — ON, a Jack can go on a 2 and a 2 on a Jack, any time. Bigger fire chains. OFF, only 2s on 2s and Jacks on Jacks.
- Bring Backs — ON, a player already out comes BACK INTO the game if fire from a 2 or a Black Jack lands on them on their first cycle after going out. King, 8, Red Jack, Queen, Ace don't bring people back — only fire.
- Finish on Power Card — ON, you can win on a King, 8, Ace, Jack (Queen always excluded). OFF, you have to win on a plain number card.
- First Out Wins — ON (default), first to empty wins, game over. OFF, the game keeps going until ONE player is left holding cards — they lose. Special case: First Out Wins ON + Bring Backs ON = first emptier doesn't win on the spot. They wait one lap. When their seat comes back: no fire = official win; fire = brought back into the game.
- First Card Active — ON, the starter card's power triggers immediately. Starter Black Jack = first player picks up 5. Starter Ace = first player picks suit. Starter K / 8 = banner shows "Game reversed" / "Skip a go". Starter Queen — the "Queens a S***" toggle applies. OFF, starter is just a marker.
The 4 presets (pick a vibe)
- MOST POPULAR ✓ — Strict Queen cover (Queens a S*** OFF), plus Jacks on 2s, Bring Backs, Finish on Power Card all ON. The way most people play. Default.
- STANDARD PRO — Strict table rules. Queens a S*** OFF, First Out Wins ON, everything else OFF. Clean game, less chaos.
- CHAOS — Everything switched on. Wild.
- MY RULES — Your custom mix. Remembered for next time.
Quick examples
- Top card is 7♣. You've got 7♥ → ✅ play it (same number).
- Top card is 7♣. You've got 4♣ → ✅ play it (same suit).
- Top card is 7♣. You've got 9♦ and A♠ → ✅ play the Ace (wild), then pick any suit.
- Top of pile is a 2 (fire +2). You've got 4♥ and a Red Jack → ✅ play the Red Jack to wipe the fire.
- You're down to your final card and it's a Queen → ❌ Queens can't win. Playing it forces a 1-card draw.
TL;DR
Match number or suit. Or take a card. 2 & Black Jack = fire. Red Jack wipes it. Ace picks suit. 8 skips. Queen must be covered. King reverses. Call LAST CARD before your final-card turn. First to empty wins. Now go shed.