Last Updated on July 15, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

“Palace,” also known as “Shithead,” is a fast-paced card game where players race to get rid of all their cards before their opponents. Each player starts with a mix of face-down, face-up, and hand cards, playing in turns to follow or beat the previous card played.

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How to Play Palace (Shithead)

Number of Players

2 players: Use one standard 52-card deck
3–5 players: Use two standard decks shuffled together

Card Rankings

Cards rank from Ace (high) down to 3:
A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3

2s are special: they reset the pile.
10s clear the pile completely and remove it from the game.

Objective

Be the first player to play all of your cards, including hand cards, face-up cards, and face-down cards.

Setup

Deal three cards face-down to each player. These remain hidden until the end.
Deal six cards face-down to each player for their hand. Players may look at these.
Each player selects three cards from their hand and places them face-up on top of the face-down cards in front of them.
- Tip: Place high-ranking or special cards (like 2s or 10s) face up.
Place the remaining cards in the center as the draw pile.

Starting the Game

Flip over the top card of the draw pile to start the discard pile.
The first player must play a card equal to or higher than the top discard.
- Players may play multiple cards of the same rank if possible.

Gameplay

After playing, draw back up to 3 cards from the draw pile (if possible).
You must play if you can. If you cannot play a legal card, pick up the entire discard pile and add it to your hand.
Once the draw pile runs out, continue playing from your hand only—no more drawing.

Special Cards

2: Can be played on any card. Resets the discard pile; the next player can play anything.
10: Can also be played at any time. It clears the discard pile—remove it from the game. Then take another turn.
Four of a Kind: If four cards of the same rank are played consecutively (by one or more players), the pile is cleared and removed from play. The next player starts a new pile with any card.

Endgame Rules

After finishing the draw pile and your hand cards:
- Play from your face-up cards in front of you.
- After those are gone, move on to your face-down cards.
- Pick one face-down card without looking and flip it.
  - If it can be played, do so.
  - If not, pick up the discard pile and add the flipped card to your hand. You must now play from your hand again.

Winning the Game

The first player to play all of their cards—hand, face-up, and face-down—is the winner.

Notes/Strategy

House Rules: Players can add variations to the game, such as making certain cards wild or adding other special rules.
Sequence Play: Sometimes players play in a specific sequence or with additional decks for larger groups.
Manage Your Hand: Keep track of what cards you have and try to save special cards for strategic moments.
Play Low Cards Early: Try to play lower-value cards early to avoid picking up large piles.
Remember Face-Down Cards: Remember which face-down cards you have to avoid picking up piles late in the game.

Palace (shithead) is a fun and competitive game that can be enjoyed by players of all ages.