Svoi Kozyri

Russia’s own-trumps game. Everyone has a trump suit of their own: beat the top card and lay one for the next player, or pick up. Don’t be the last one holding cards. 2–4 players.

Also known as Own Trumps and Svoyi Kozyri.

Who To Play With

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How to play Svoi Kozyri

  1. 1Played with 36 cards, six through ace in each suit (aces high). Each player has a trump suit of their own, shown by their name. Every card is dealt out, then each 6 goes to the player whose trump suit it is, so everyone starts with at least one trump.
  2. 2The player after the dealer starts the pile with any card. From then on, each player in turn must beat the top card or pick up.
  3. 3To beat a card, play a higher card of the same suit, or any card of your own trump suit on a card of another suit. Your trump only has that power on your turn: to the others it’s an ordinary suit. After beating, you put a second card of your choice on top for the next player to beat.
  4. 4If you can’t or won’t beat the top card, you pick up from the top of the pile: 3 cards, or 5 if the top card is of your own trump suit, or the whole pile if it’s your trump ace. Fewer if the pile is smaller. The next player then has to beat the card that’s now on top, or start a new pile if it’s empty.
  5. 5Players who run out of cards are safe and drop out. If your last card beats the top card and two or more others are still playing, the next player doesn’t beat it but puts any card on top instead.
  6. 6The last player left holding cards loses. If that player’s only card would beat the top card, the game is a draw. (To keep things moving, after 800 turns whoever holds the most cards loses.)

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