Shithead (card game) explained

Shithead
Image Caption:Game under way
Alt Names:China Hand, Ten-Two Slide, Karma, Palace, Shed, Strawberry Shortcake
Type:Shedding-type
Players:2–5 (3-5 best)
Num Cards:52 or more
Deck:French
Play:Variable
Card Rank:Highly variable
Related:Vändtia
Playing Time:5 mins.+
Random Chance:High
Skills:Memory, quickness

Shithead (also called China Hand, Ten-Two Slide, Karma, Palace or Shed[1]) is a card game, the object of which is to lose all of one's playing cards.[2] Although the basic structure of the game generally remains constant, there are regional variations to the game's original rules.

History and name

The game became popular among backpackers in the late 20th century.[2] [1] It appears to be of Swedish or Nordic origin and is probably the international equivalent of the now classic Swedish game of Vändtia ("turn ten"), which itself emerged in the 1970s. It is also quite closely related to the Finnish game of Paskahousu.

The popular name of the game appears to be a mistranslation of its south Swedish name which, confusingly, is also the name of the more challenging Swedish game of Skitgubbe ("grubby old man"[3]).

Cards

A standard 52-card pack with French suit symbols is used. All other cards rank in their natural order, Aces high, and suits are irrelevant.

Deal

From a shuffled deck of cards, the dealer gives each player 9 cards: 3 downcards in a row, 3 upcards on top of the downcards, and 3 hand cards.[2] The downcards will be played last and players are not allowed to see or change them until the endgame phase. The upcards will only be played once the hand cards are exhausted.

Rearranging

After the deal and before play begins, players may switch their hand cards with those face up on the table in order to produce a strong set of upcards (ideally high cards, 2s or 10s) for later in the game.

Play

Eldest hand is the first player dealt a 3 as an upcard. If no player has 3 face up, then the first player to declare a 3 in hand starts. If no-one has a 3, then the game is started by the person dealt a 4, etc. Eldest leads off by playing a card or set of cards face up in the middle of the table to start a common wastepile. In turn and in clockwise order, players play a card or set that is equal to or higher in rank than the top card of the wastepile. If unable or unwilling to do so, they must pick up the wastepile and add it to their hand cards.[2] [1]

Each player must initially have at least 3 cards in hand at all times; a player who has fewer than 3 after playing to the wastepile, draws cards from the stock, if possible, to make the hand up to 3 again.

Special cards and quartets

Deuces (2s), tens and four-of-a-kind quartets have special roles:[1]

Endgame

A player who has no more cards in hand when the stock is empty must play from their upcards. If unable or unwilling to play an upcard, the player must pick up the wastepile. Once all of the upcards have been played, a player must then play downcards. These are played unseen one at a time and if the chosen card is lower than the previous card played, the wastepile must be picked up and, on subsequent turns, the player must play their hand cards before playing any more downcards.

A player who has no cards left, drops out. The last player left with cards is the loser and deals in the next game, but players may agree other forfeits, such as getting the next round of drinks.

Variations

The following variations are recorded:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Penguin Encyclopedia of Card Games. Parlett, David . David Parlett . 1979 . 480 . 0140280324. (Karma, Palace, Shed, many other names).
  2. Web site: Shithead - Card Game Rules. www.pagat.com.
  3. Book: The Penguin Encyclopedia of Card Games . Parlett, David . 2000 . 476.
  4. Web site: Donohoe . Rick . 2023-07-22 . Shithead Card Game: How To Play, Rules And Strategies Tiny Monkey Games . 2023-08-12 . en-GB.