Palace
Three down, three up, three in hand. Play higher or pick up the pile, and don’t be the last one holding cards. 2–5 players.
Also known as Karma and Shed.
How to play Palace
- 1Everyone gets three cards face down in a row, three cards face up on top of them, and three in hand. The rest form the stock. Before play starts, you may swap cards between your hand and your face-up cards, choosing which three to show.
- 2On your turn, play one card, or several of the same rank, onto the pile in the middle. Each play must be equal to or higher than the top card (aces are high). If you play from your hand, draw back up to three while the stock lasts.
- 3Twos and tens are special and can go on anything. A two starts the pile over, so any card can follow it. A ten burns the pile, clearing it out of the game, and so does completing four of the same rank in a row. Whoever burns the pile plays again.
- 4If you can’t play, you pick up the whole pile and your turn ends.
- 5Once your hand is empty and the stock is gone, you play from your face-up cards. After those, play your face-down cards one at a time without looking. If the card you turn over can’t be played, you pick it up along with the pile.
- 6Players drop out as they run out of cards. The last one still holding cards loses. (After 1500 turns, whoever holds the most cards loses.)
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