Guandan

How to play Guandan

1. 1Guandan is a partnership climbing game from China for four players, partners sitting opposite. It uses two decks with all four jokers: 108 cards, 27 each. Each side has a level, starting at 2. This version is a short game: the first side to win a deal on its own level 10 wins.
2. 2The level of the side that won the last deal is in play (2 in the first deal). Cards rank from 2 up to A, then the level rank, then the small (black) joker and the big (red) joker. The two hearts of the level rank are wild: each may stand in for any card except a joker. Suits matter only in straight flushes.
3. 3Plays: a single, a pair, three of a kind, three of a kind with a pair, a straight of exactly five ranks, three pairs in a row, or two threes of a kind in a row. In a row, every rank keeps its usual place (the level rank too), and an ace may go low (A-2-3-4-5) or high (10-J-Q-K-A). Jokers go only alone or as a pair of the same joker.
4. 4Bombs beat every ordinary play: four or more of a kind (more cards beat fewer, then the higher rank), and the straight flush (five in a row in one suit), which beats a bomb of five but loses to six or more. All four jokers together beat everything.
5. 5Whoever leads plays anything. In turn, beat the last play with the same kind of play, only higher, or with a bomb; or pass. Passing doesn’t stop you playing later. Once everyone else still holding cards has passed, whoever played last leads again. If they have just gone out, their partner leads instead.
6. 6The deal ends when both players of one side are out. The side of the first player out wins it and goes up 3 levels if the partner went out second, 2 if third, and 1 if last. To win the game, a side on level 10 must win a deal on its own level without the partner going out last.
7. 7From the second deal on, whoever went out last gives their highest card (never a wild heart) to whoever went out first, who gives back any card from 2 to 10. If both players of a side went out last, each gives one: the higher card goes to the first player out and the other to the second, and each gives one back. Everyone sees these cards. A side giving tribute that holds both big jokers gives none. Whoever gave the higher tribute leads; with no tribute, the first player out last time leads.

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