Objective
Reduce the row of cards to as few piles as possible. Finishing with one pile is a win. Most games end with a handful of piles, which is part of the appeal: it is a quick game you will want to play again.
Setup
Shuffle the deck and hold it face down. There is no layout to build. Cards are dealt one at a time into a single row, left to right, and the row grows as you go.
How to play
Deal a card to the right end of the row. Compare it with the card immediately to its left and the card three places to its left. If it matches either one in suit or in rank, you may move it, with any cards beneath it, on top of that card. The pile then acts as a single card showing its top card.
A move often opens up another. After each move, check the new neighbors again before dealing the next card. You may make as many moves as are available, in any order, before you deal.
When the deck is exhausted and no moves remain, the game is over. Count your piles.
- 1Deal one card to the right end of the row
- 2Check the card one place and three places to the left
- 3Move onto a match in suit or rank, carrying the pile with it
- 4Repeat any moves that open up, then deal again
Scoring
One pile is a win. Two or three piles is an excellent game. Keep a running best and try to beat it: the average finish for most players is somewhere around five piles.
Variations
Deal-it-all: deal the entire deck into the row first, then make moves. This gives you full information and turns the game into a puzzle.
Free move: allow a match one, two or three places to the left instead of only one and three.
Idle Year: the original 19th-century version, played with the same rules and a longer name.
Tips from the table
Do not take the first move you see. When two moves are available, work out which one leaves better neighbors behind.
Moving a pile three places compresses the row faster than moving it one place. Prefer the long jump when both are legal.
Keep a high-value pile, one showing a common rank, near the right end for as long as you can. It will catch new cards.
Video Guides Are on the Way
We’re filming Game Guides that walk through full hands at the table, from the deal to the score.
Frequently asked
Can I move a card two places to the left?
Not in the standard game. Only one place and three places count. Some players allow two as a house rule.
Does the whole pile move, or just the top card?
The whole pile. Piles are treated as a single card showing whatever is on top.
What are the odds of winning?
Low. A one-pile finish is rare enough to be worth a photo. Two or three piles is a good day.
Can I undo a move?
In the honest version, no. Once a pile is placed, it stays.
New rules every month
Get the next game before it hits the site.
