The dealer evenly deals the TOUGH LUCK cards from the deck(s) to all the players and discard any extra cards.
Without looking at your cards, the dealer will decide how many cards (between 4 to 8) will be laid face-down in front of each player. Everyone will lay the same amount.

Example :

While continuing not to look at your cards, place one card face-up on each of the cards you just placed face-down.

Example:

After setting up the cards on the table equally, the remaining cards make up your playing hand.

The player left of dealer begins the game.

The first player puts their lowest value card from 2 to 12, in the played pile (higher value cards beat lower value cards). The next player must match or beat the value played or lay down a specialty card. If the next player cannot match or beat the card played, they must take the entire played pile while everyone shouts “TOUGH LUCK”. Once the pile is taken, then the next player starts over with their lowest value card.

• If a player has multiple cards of the same value, they can play all the cards at once if they wish.
  • Example: If a player has two “5” cards in their hand, they can play both of the cards if they want to at the same time.
• Once four cards of the same value have been played consecutively either by one or more people, then the entire played pile is discarded. The next player may begin with their lowest value card.

First, you must play all the cards in your hand. Next, you want to play all the cards faced up. Last is playing all the cards faced down. At any point you have “TOUGH LUCK” and pick up cards, you must then play those cards as your hand before continuing to play your cards faced up or faced down. No peeking at the cards face down, this is where you see if you are lucky. Play one card at a time unless using a specialty card. Once a card has been revleaded from the face down pile, if it cannot beat the card in the played pile it must go to your hand along with the played pile.

The luckiest player will win by playing all cards in their hand and all cards in front of them. The winner then becomes the dealer and gets to choose the setup for the next game.

Try playing with less cards in front of you and more cards in your hand or vice versa to add a different challenge!