- 1
Four players. All 53 cards (a standard deck plus one joker) are dealt, so one player gets 14. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins the round.
- 2
Card strength: 3 < 4 < 5 < … < 10 < J < Q < K < A < 2 < Joker. Suits have no rank.
- 3
You can play cards of one rank (1 to 4 cards) or a run (3 or more cards in a row of the same suit, such as 5♥ 6♥ 7♥). A lone joker is the strongest card; inside a set or run it stands in for one missing card.
- 4
You must play the same shape and number of cards as the pile, but stronger. Runs are compared by their lowest card. If you can't or don't want to play, pass. Passing doesn't stop you from playing when your turn comes round again.
- 5
When everyone else passes in a row, the pile is cleared and the last player to play leads with any cards (if that player has gone out, the next player leads).
- 6
8-stop: playing cards that include an 8 clears the pile at once, and you lead again (a joker standing in for an 8 doesn't count).
- 7
Revolution: playing four of a kind (a joker can be one of them) reverses the strength of every card except the joker, so 3 becomes the highest. Another revolution switches it back.
- 8
Players are ranked in the order they go out: Tycoon, Rich, Poor, Beggar. They score 3, 2, 1 and 0 points, and the total after 5 rounds decides the winner.
- 9
From round 2, cards are exchanged after the deal. The Beggar gives their 2 strongest cards to the Tycoon and the Poor player gives their strongest card to the Rich player; the Tycoon and the Rich player give back the same number of cards of their choice. The Beggar leads (in round 1, whoever holds the 3 of diamonds leads).
- 10
Jack back, suit lock, 3 of spades and fallen tycoon are optional house rules (all off to start). There is no rule against going out with a 2 or the joker.
