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Official Guan Dan 掼蛋 Rules

Guan Dan, also known as Guandan, is a climbing card game where players aim to discard all their cards while climbing through a series of ranks. It's a game of strategy, teamwork, and a bit of luck, making it a popular choice for gatherings and game nights.

Objective

Be the first partnership to discard all their cards and reach the highest level (Level A)

Setup

Number of Players: 4 players (always played in partnerships)


Cards: Two standard decks of 52 cards (including Jokers) for a total of 108 cards


Dealing:

  1. Shuffle the combined deck thoroughly.

  2. Deal 27 cards face down to each player, resulting in each player having a hand of 27 cards.

  3. The remaining cards form a draw pile in the center of the playing area.

Gameplay

Card Ranking (Highest to Lowest):

  • Two (2) - Wild cards that can be used as any other rank.

  • Joker (optional) - Higher than a Two, can be used as any other rank.

  • Ace (A)

  • King (K)

  • Queen (Q)

  • Jack (J)

  • 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3

How to Play:

  1. Determining the Dealer: The player who drew the highest card from the shuffled deck becomes the dealer for the first round. In subsequent rounds, the dealer is the person to the dealer's left.

  2. Starting the Round: The dealer begins the round by placing one card face up in front of them, establishing the "trump suit" for that round. This trump suit remains in effect for the entire round.

  3. Taking Turns: Players take turns playing cards face up to the discard pile. You can play a single card or multiple cards that meet the following conditions:

    • Single Card: Play any single card from your hand.

    • Matching Rank: Play two, three, or four cards of the same rank (e.g., three Queens).

    • Sequence: Play a sequence of consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g., 5, 6, 7 of Spades).

  4. Beating the Previous Play: The cards you play must be higher in rank or value than the cards played previously on the discard pile. Here's how this works:

    • A single higher card beats a single lower card.

    • A set of matching rank beats a single card. (e.g., Two Queens beat a King)

    • A higher set of matching rank beats a lower set. (e.g., Three Kings beat Three Queens)

    • A sequence of the same length beats a single card or a set. (e.g., Three consecutive Spades beat a King)

    • A longer sequence beats a shorter sequence of the same suit. (e.g., Four consecutive Hearts beat Three consecutive Spades)

  5. Using Trump: Trump cards can be used to beat any non-trump card, regardless of rank. However, a higher trump card beats a lower trump card.

  6. Passing: If you cannot or don't want to play any cards that beat the previous play, you can choose to pass. However, you can only pass consecutively twice before being forced to draw a card.

  7. Drawing a Card: If you cannot play or pass, you must draw one card from the draw pile and add it to your hand.

  8. Winning the Trick: The player who plays the highest card or set of cards in a trick wins the trick and takes all the cards played in that trick.

Partnership Play: Players work in pairs, sitting opposite each other. When one player wins a trick, their partner also takes any cards played in that trick, effectively doubling their winnings.

Discarding Cards: Once you have played all the cards from your hand, you are out of the round. The partnership with the first player to discard all their cards wins the round.

Climbing Levels: After a partnership wins a round, they move up one level. The levels range from Level 2 to Level A, with Level A being the highest. The levels correspond to the card values.

Winning the Game

  • The first partnership to reach Level A and win a round wins the game!

Winning the Game

  • In some variations, players might be dealt a face-up card at the beginning of the round to establish the starting suit.

  • Jokers might be excluded from the game depending on the variation.

  • There might be slight variations in rules regarding passing and sequence play depending on the region or who you play with.

Guan Dan's depth comes from two key features: a vast array of playable combinations and the strategic flexibility offered by wild cards. Together, they create a constantly evolving game that demands sharp strategy from players.

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