Number of players: Two or more, but it's a greater challenge with at least three players.
Object: To be the first player to get rid of all your cards.
The cards: A regular 52-card deck is used for two to five players. Two packs of 52 cards are used for six or more players.
Deal: The act of portioning out the cards to the players; also, the period of play in the game between one deal and the next. Game: A total number of points to achieve; also, what constitutes winning or ending a game. For a complete listing of card terminology, click here. |
The following player announces "Deuces," or perhaps "One deuce," and puts a single card face down on the stack. The next player announces "3s" and so on, each player stating a rank just above the previous one played. After you reach kings, start play again at aces.
At your turn you must discard, but the cards you discard don't have to be the rank called for. You might announce "Three queens" and put down two jacks and a 6 or any other three cards. Be convincing. Anyone who is skeptical can challenge you by being first to shout, "I doubt it!"
The challenge: If challenged, turn over your discards. If they're not what you claimed, pick up the entire discard pack. But if your cards are as announced, your challenger picks up the stack!
Note that when you use a single pack, you can discard up to four cards. With a double deck, the discard can go as high as eight cards.
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Lay successive discard packets crosswise to avoid disputes. Here, a player has announced 3 kings but has been caught playing two 5s and a jack! |
Variation: In some games, there may be too many challenges, and you may want to bring order to them. One way to do this is to permit only the next player to say, "I doubt it." Play may also go from Ace down, such as Ace, King, Queen, and so on.
©Publications International, Ltd.
