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This exciting card game is suitable for anyone to learn to play. It's a perfect way to kill some time and have fun with family, friends or people you meet while traveling! The rules outlined here are the Vietnamese variant; there is a Chinese variant as well, so make sure you ask the other players what variant they want to play if they are experienced players. Note that this game is also called "Tiến lên" (Struggling Upstream) and it is a four player game.
Things You Should Know
- The game usually consists of 4 players holding 13 cards each. The strongest to weakest cards go in this order: 2, A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3.
- Take turns placing cards onto the deck that beat the previous card. If you can't put down a higher-value card, skip your turn instead.
- Before you run out of your entire deck, declare that you're on your last card. First person to run out of cards wins!
Steps
Printable Rule Sheet
Understanding the Game
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1Clarify the rules beforehand. A lot of people play with slightly different rules in different geographical areas or cultures, and it's best to be clear about what you can and cannot do before the game begins to avoid confusion or frustration during the game. In this version, the rules are as follows:
- The strongest to weakest goes in this order: 2,A,K,Q,J,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3.
- The strongest suit is hearts followed by diamonds, clubs, and spades, but this rule only works when playing the same card. For instance, a 2 of hearts beats a 2 of diamonds.
- The 3 of spades is the lowest card in this game. The 2 of hearts is the highest. This also runs the works across all the suits. Twos are higher than threes.
- The card is higher than the suit. For instance, the 9 of spades is higher than the 8 of hearts.
- The object is to play a card that beats the previous card on the table until you get rid of all of your cards. So, a 5 of spades beats a 3 of spades. A king of clubs beats an 8 of hearts because even though the hearts suit is higher than the clubs, the king is higher than an 8.
- This game is best played with four players as each player gets 13 cards, which evenly divides a standard deck. Note this is also how the game derives its name.
- Some play with rules that would normally be considered cheating. So, depending on the rules, it is okay to look at other player’s card or play out of turn if you can get away with it. [1]
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2Understand the cards you can play. You can play your hand a number of ways. Hands can be played in singles, doubles, triples and runs. A higher single card -- a solo card -- beats a lower single card. For instance, a queen of hearts beats a jack of hearts. A higher double -- two cards -- beats a lower double. A higher triple -- three cards -- beats a lower triple.
- There also are runs -- a combination of at least three cards in sequential order. To beat a sequence the sequence must be higher than the previous sequence.
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3Learn how to play the card combinations. The object of the game is to get rid of your hand as quickly as possible, and card combinations help you do that since you can put down more than one card at a time. A pair or double is a combination of two cards with the same number but different suits. For instance a 5 of spades and 5 of hearts are a pair. To defeat a double, the opposing player needs a pair of cards with a higher rank, for instance, a queen of hearts and queen of diamonds.[2]
- A triple is three cards cards with same rank and different suits. So, a 5 of Spades, a 5 of hearts and 5 of clubs is an examples of a triple. To beat this triple, the opposing player has to put out three cards of the same rank higher rank, for instance, 6 of spades, 6 of hearts and 6 of diamonds.
- A run or sequence requires at least three cards in numerical order. ( The suits can be mixed.) It can only be beaten by another sequence where the rank of the highest card is ranked higher than the last card in the previous run. The lowest card a run can begin with is a 3 of spades For instance, a 4 of spades, 5 of hearts, 6 of diamonds and 7 of spades is beaten by a 4 of hearts, 5 of diamonds, 6 of hearts and 7 of hearts because a 7 of hearts is higher than a 7 of spades.
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4Learn how to win instantly. In this game, certain hands win the game instantly. No trading is allowed. These cards must be in your hand after the initial deal: four 2s, six pairs (22,44,33,66,77,88), three triples, and a dragon’s head. A dragon’s head is special run from a 3 to an Ace of the same suit. The hearts dragon’s head is the highest because hearts is the highest suit and cannot be beaten by another.
- Holding four 2s in your hand after the deal is an instant win because it is four of the highest cards in the game. Twos are the highest cards in each suit.
- In some cases, four 2s is the only instant win that people play when they this game. In other cases, people agree that if someone receives four 2s during the deal, then the dealer re-shuffles and re-deals the cards.
- If you are holding six pairs, this means that 12 of your 13 cards form pairs.
Preparing to Play
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1Determine which way the turns will be going -- clockwise or counterclockwise. Decide this ahead of time because it determines the way that you will be dealing the cards. Also, it will cut down on arguments over whose turn it is. So, when someone asks, “Whose turn is it?” you will know.
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2Get a standard 52-card deck and shuffle them. Count the cards to make sure there are actually 52 cards. Shuffle anyway that you like. Generally, the rule of thumb is to use the riffle shuffle, but if you don’t know how to do it other shuffle techniques such as the Hindu shuffle, weave shuffle or strip shuffle are fine as well. Ask the person next to you to cut the deck.
- Note the person who shuffles first because the person to the right or left --depending on if you choose clockwise or counterclockwise -- will shuffle next.[3]
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3Deal out 13 cards to each player. Be sure to deal in the order that you have chosen. For instance, if turns are to be taken clockwise, then the cards should be dealt clockwise as well.The dealer gets his or her card last.
- Players are allowed to look at their cards. They don’t have to wait until a certain time to flip the cards over as with some games.
- If you are playing with three players instead of four, each player can still be dealt the standard 13 cards, or you can deal the entire deck. It’s up to your own discretion.
- You might find it easier to organize your hand into pairs, triples and single cards.
- If this isn’t the first game, then the winner of the previous game goes first.
Playing the Game
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1Identify who has the 3 of spades. This person goes first and may play a single, double, triple other combo as long as the 3 of Spades is included. For example: 3-4-5, double 3s, etc., will work fine.The next person will try to beat the previous person's hand.
- If this isn’t the first game, then the winner of the previous game goes first.
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2Place a higher card, pair or triple than the player before you. Play the same type of card. For example, if the player before you places a pair on the table, you have to play a pair that has a higher value than that pair. If the person plays a single, then you must play a higher ranked single.[4]
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3Skip if you cannot place a higher card on the table. The turn will go to the next person. Once you skip, you cannot play another card until the round finishes. If everyone skips, the last person who didn't play a card can play any card he or she wants.[5]
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4Bomb the pile. If you have three pairs, or something greater like four of a kind, now is the time to play them. (Remember you want to get rid of as many cards as possible.) A bomb refers to four of a kind. [6] To get rid of your cards, you could play a set of six that forms a triple straight (e.g. 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5) or four of a kind. Four of a kind beats all triple straights, which is beaten by a higher ranking four of a kind sequence. So, four aces would beat by four kings.
- When you play cards with such a high value that no one can beat, nearly everyone has to skip.
- Runs and straights cannot contain 2s even though they are the highest cards.
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5Play whatever type of hand you want. If no one can beat the high cards that you are playing, then you can play the cards you want since no one can beat them even if they are not the highest cards -- or even a bomb. You could play a pair of the highest twos, for example.[7]
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6Declare that you’re on your last card. Once you have played all your cards except for your last one, you should declare your last card to the group. Remember that you can only play a single on top of another single. However, you also could end the game with a pair, triple or straight. No matter how many cards are in your hand, always try to get rid of them as quickly as possible. So, think in terms of pairs, triples the game may end on a double or straight card play. Try to be the first one out of cards, as this is how you win the game.
Community Q&A
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QuestionCan a chop of three pairs be beaten by a chop of four pairs?
Community AnswerIt depends on the set of rules. In most cases, strength of cards goes 2 < 3 pairs < 4 of a kind < 4 pairs. But that is under the case of bombs only working on 2's and nothing else. -
QuestionCan I play a triple pair if everyone else passes their turns?
Community AnswerYes, you can. You can start with any card or pairs when everyone else passes their turns. -
QuestionCan I put down a triple of 2s?Community AnswerYes, as long as you are playing it against a triple, or everyone else has passed.
Warnings
- Don't be a poor sport if you win or lose. Bragging when you win isn't good, and neither is pouting when you lose.⧼thumbs_response⧽
Things You'll Need
- Standard 52-card deck
- 2 to 4 players
-Step-17.webp)
References
- ↑ http://www.pagat.com/climbing/thirteen.html
- ↑ http://www.pagat.com/climbing/thirteen.html
- ↑ http://www.pokerology.com/articles/how-to-shuffle-cards/
- ↑ http://www.vinagames.com/tienlen.html
- ↑ http://www.vinagames.com/tienlen.html
- ↑ https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/911702/our-thirteen-rules
- ↑ http://www.vinagames.com/tienlen.html
About This Article
13 is a 4-player card game where players try to get rid of all of their cards first. To start the game, deal each player 13 cards face-down. Whoever has the 3 of spades in their hand goes first. That player must play the 3 of spades in the middle of the table, either by itself or as part of a pair, 3-of-a-kind, 4-of-a-kind, a run of 3 or more cards, or a double run of 3 or more cards. Cards in a run can be in any suit. After the first player goes, the player to their left goes next. That player must play the same combination type as the previous player, and the card or cards they play must be higher. For example, if the first player put down a pair of 3s, the second player would have to play a higher pair. In 13, 3s are the lowest card, and 2s are the highest. The suits are also ranked. Hearts are the highest rank, followed by diamonds, clubs, and then spades. So, if one player puts down the 3 of spades, the next player could play the 3 of hearts since hearts is ranked higher than spades. After the second player goes, play continues clockwise around the table. If a player is unable to beat the card or combination of cards in the middle of the table, they can pass. If every player passes, the cards in the middle are removed, and the player who played the last card in the middle gets to play any card or combination of cards from their hand. If a player has a 4-of-a-kind or a double run of 3 or more cards, like jack, jack, queen, queen, king, and king, they can play those cards at any time during their turn, regardless of what the combination type currently is. These combinations are called bombs, and they automatically clear the pile. Play continues around the table until one player runs out of cards. Whoever runs out of cards first wins! To learn more about the combinations used in the game, read on!
