6-player 3-deck 5,10,K · Rules
Six players, three decks with jokers: 162 cards, 26 each, six-card kitty and two partner calls. Defenders win at 120; level bands are 60 points.
1. Configuration
Three decks including jokers: 162 cards. Six players receive 26 each, with a six-card kitty and two distinct hidden partner calls. The banker side contains one to three players. Defenders win at 120; advancement bands are 60 points. This is a house advancement variant, not a national standard.
2. Card strength
3 < 4 < 5 < 6 < 7 < 8 < 9 < 10 < J < Q < K < A < 2 < small joker < big joker. Individual levels never change card strength or create trump cards.
3. Legal combinations
Singles, pairs, triples, triple with a single, triple with a pair, straights, pair runs, airplanes, airplanes with single/pair wings, 5,10,K, bombs and rockets. No suit-following. Ordinary replies must match type and count and be higher. Straights need at least five cards, pair runs at least two pairs, airplanes at least two consecutive triples; no 2 or jokers in these runs. Wings cannot reuse body ranks or include both joker ranks.
4. 5,10,K combinations
Mixed 5,10,K < suited 5,10,K < bombs < rocket. Suited combinations rank diamonds < clubs < hearts < spades. All mixed combinations have equal strength.
5. Bombs and rockets
Four or more equal ranks form a bomb, beating ordinary shapes and 5,10,K. Compare bomb count before rank. A big-and-small-joker rocket beats bombs; equal rockets cannot beat one another.
6. Scoring cards
Each 5 scores 5; each 10 or K scores 10. Three decks contain twelve of each rank: 60 + 120 + 120 = 300 points.
7. Individual levels
Each player advances independently: 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7 → 8 → 9 → 10 → J → Q → K → A. Advancing beyond A wins the match, including K +2.
8. First banker
Everyone starts at level 3 and may reveal a dealt 3 during the first hand. The first legal reveal fixes the banker, who is pending beforehand, never randomly appointed. No overturning; skipping applies only to that draw and later eligible draws prompt again. If nobody reveals a 3 by the end, shuffle and redeal. Later bankers are selected by previous winners revealing their own current levels.
9. Reveal a level card
Only the previous winning side may compete; previous losers cannot reveal. Each eligible player may reveal only their own current rank during dealing. The first legal reveal fixes the banker; no later challenge or reversal. Skipping applies only to this draw; ask again on later draws while a legal reveal remains available. If no one reveals, start after the previous banker and follow seat order to the first previous winner.
10. Kitty and burial
After the banker is fixed and dealing completes, the banker takes 6 kitty cards, buries 6 face down and leads. The buried cards are hidden during play and exposed for scoring at settlement.
11. Calling hidden partners
The banker calls 2 distinct faces. Call A in a suit; only if all three As are buried, descend through K, Q, J and so on to the highest rank still possibly in play. Never call 2 or jokers. Specify the first, second or third actual PLAY occurrence, not dealing, ownership or leading a trick. A self-call adds no partner. Two calls played by the same person add only one partner.
12. Teams
A role is confirmed only when the specified occurrence is actually played. Revealed partners join the banker; the others defend. Self-calls can leave a solo banker. Previous teams do not carry over.
13. Turn order
The banker leads, then seats act in a fixed direction. Beat with a higher matching combination or a higher special shape, or pass. The trick ends when all other active players pass.
14. Trick completion
The last successful player wins every scoring card played by anyone in the trick, not just the final combination, for their eventual side.
15. Next lead
The trick winner leads again; if already out, the next seat still holding cards leads.
16. Going out
An empty-hand player leaves subsequent play and cannot reply or lead, but retains team membership and settlement/advancement rights.
17. Immediate whole-side finish
Check whole-side completion only after the called identities are confirmed; before that, use the normal one-player-left ending. If all bankers go out, stop immediately and transfer every remaining defender scoring card to the banker side. If all defenders go out, transfer all banker-side remaining scoring cards to defenders. Other cards score zero; do not play out the remainder.
18. Only one player remains
Without an earlier whole-side ending, finish as soon as only one player holds cards. The final successful player receives the final trick, the last hand and the kitty points at face value, with no multiplier.
19. Kitty ownership
Expose the kitty at either normal or early settlement. Its points go to the last valid trick winner, never multiplied. For early settlement the current trick is the final valid trick: its last successful player receives table and kitty points, while the side that is all out receives remaining-hand points. These recipients may differ.
20. Final defender total
Include all captured tricks, opponent remnants transferred by early completion, and last-hand/kitty points when awarded to defenders. The full deck always totals 300 points.
21. Win and advancement
Defenders 0: bankers win and each +3; 1–59: bankers each +2; 60–119: bankers each +1; 120–179: defenders win, nobody advances; 180–239: defenders each +1; 240–299: each +2; 300: each +3. Racing out first does not override these score thresholds.
22. Who advances
Every winning-side member advances separately using their own saved level. Levels may differ in the same hand. At 120–179 no one advances despite the defender victory.
23. Next hand
Preserve individual levels, discard previous teams, choose a fresh banker and call new partners. Only previous winners may reveal their own current ranks; without a reveal, search from the seat after the previous banker.
24. Strategy
Balance capturing points, shedding cards and advancement: retain control, protect teammates, find hidden partners, finish the whole side and prevent the opponents doing so first.
Variant notice
Free solo practice against computer opponents, with suggestions for each decision.
Selected rule references; regional variants may differ.