A card in the discard pile is considered ‘dead’ the second the next player draws from the draw pile.

You can lay off by exchanging for wilds and redeploying that wild to build on a run.

Laying off is building on the set/runs of others who have also laid down.

Once you’ve laid down, the only way to get rid of your remaining cards to get to zero (i.e.

You can only exchange for wilds if you are ready to lay down.

If someone has already laid down using a wild card(s) and you have the card(s) to replace the wild(s), you can exchange your card for wild.

You can only lay down the number or sets/runs required for the round extra sets/runs are not allowed.

When you have the cards needed to form the sets and runs needed for the round, you are ready to lay down.

In a run, wild cards cannot touch, e.g.

You must have a minimum of 2 non-wild cards to complete a set or run.

Jokers (☺☆) and 2 of clubs (2♣) are wild cards and can be used in place of any card.

Once you’ve laid down, you can no longer buy.

If no players ahead of you want the card, the active player clicks ‘allow to buy’, giving you the card you wanted + 1 card from the draw pile, a.k.a.

The active player and every player ahead of you has first dibs on that card.

If it isn’t your turn but you want the card in the discard pile, you can ask to ‘buy’.Each player has the option to ‘buy’ a card 3x per round to help complete their sets or runs (see: sets and runs).Once you’re done laying down/off, discard 1 card to the discard pile.Once you’ve laid down, if others have also already laid down, you can build on their sets/runs with your extra cards, a.k.a.If you have the cards needed to form the sets/runs needed for the round, you can ‘lay down’ (see: laying down).You have the option of taking the card from the ‘discard’ pile or drawing from the ‘draw’ pile.When it’s your turn you must take/draw a new card + discard a card.The player directly below (or to the left, irl) of the dealer starts the game.Top to bottom, or clockwise if you’re playing irl.Dealer flips the top card from the draw pile to create the ‘discard’ pile.Remaining cards go into the ‘draw’ pile.

Each player gets 11 cards for the first 9 rounds, 13 cards for the last 2.

Jokers and wilds (see: wild cards) are 50 points.

Your goal is to have the least points at the end of 11 rounds.

Shanghai card game laying down