The rules of Dou Dizhu

Three players, with a pack of 54: the 52 and two jokers, a little one (black) and a big one (red). Suits do not matter. Threes are lowest, then 4 up to the ace, then twos, the little joker and the big joker. Each player gets 17 cards, and three are left face down.

From the player after the dealer, everybody bids once: 1, 2 or 3, higher than the bid before, or passes. A bid of 3 ends the bidding at once. The highest bidder is the landlord: they take the three cards, turned up for everybody, and play alone against the other two, the farmers, who win or lose together. If nobody bids, the cards are dealt again.

The landlord leads. You may play a single, a pair, or three of a kind, alone, with one card or with a pair; a straight of five or more in a row, up to the ace; a run of three or more pairs; an airplane of two or more threes in a row, alone or with as many single cards or pairs as it has threes; four of a kind with two cards or two pairs; a bomb, four of a kind alone; or the rocket, both jokers.

Each player in turn beats what is on the table with the same kind of play, the same number of cards, higher, or passes. Only the main cards count: the three of three with one, the top of a straight. A bomb beats anything but a higher bomb, and the rocket beats everything. When both others pass, the round goes to whoever played last, and they lead again.

The first player out ends the hand. The hand is worth the bid, doubled for every bomb and rocket played, and doubled again for a spring: the winners going out with the losers having played nothing (or the landlord only the first lead). A winning landlord takes that from each farmer; winning farmers take it each from the landlord. After the game's last hand, the highest total wins.

All Dou Dizhu Express help topics