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Shithead is the card game where there is no winner — only one loser. Everyone gets rid of their cards; the last one holding any is the shithead. Cards rank 2 (low) to Ace (high); suits don't matter.
- Everyone gets table cards: a row face-down, and the same number face-up on top of them. The house picks how many: 5 is usual, 3 or 4 quicker, and you can type any number. Plus a hand.
- Before play, you can swap cards between your hand and your face-up row. Put your best cards face-up — they're your endgame. Tap Ready when you're happy. Play starts once everyone is ready.
- The rest is the deck (or the house keeps fewer cards in it for a quicker game).
- Play a card equal or higher than the top of the pile. Same rank? Play as many as you like together.
- Can't (or won't)? Pick up the whole pile into your hand. Everyone saw what was in it — they'll remember.
- While the deck lasts, draw back up to your hand size after you play.
- Hand empty and deck gone? Play from your face-up cards. Those gone too? Tap a face-down card — it flips where it lies. If it can go, it goes. If it can't, you pick up the pile, and it, and carry on.
- Four of a kind on the pile — laid together or built up — burns it, and you go again.
The house sets these when dealing. The way we play:
2Reset. Goes on anything; the pile starts again from 2.
3Mirror. See-through: the pile is whatever was under the 3.
7Lower. The next card must be a 7 or lower. Even a 10 can't go on it.
10Burn. Clears the pile and you go again. Works on anything — except a 7.
JReverse. Play goes the other way. Two Jacks together: it reverses twice, so carries on.
AHigh. Only another Ace, a 2, a 3, a 10 or a joker can follow it.
🃏Wild. A joker is whatever you say it is — any rank, powers included — as long as that card would be legal on the pile. Never higher than a 7 on a 7.
Classic keeps just the 2 (reset) and the 10 (burn). Custom is yours: any rank, any power, set when you deal.
When you're out of everything, you're safe and you watch. The last one with cards is the shithead, and buys the next round. Tap Rematch — same seats, fresh deal.
On the app
- Your seat is a link: the person who deals sends it, you tap it, you're in. Register once and your games find you from the icon.
- Turn on notifications on your games page (or in Settings, under You) and your phone buzzes when it's your go.
- Play when you like — a table waits for days if it has to. That's the point.
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