Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Setting up the game
• Part 2 of 3: The beginning of the game
• Part 3 of 3: The end of the game
• Tips

Palace is a super fun card game that you can play with 2-5 players. The object of the game is simple: play your cards on the discard pile in ascending order and try to get rid of all your cards first. The catch? If you cannot play a card, you must pick up the entire discard pile! There are a few other rules to follow (for example, each player is given their own "palace" of cards - more on that below). Check out the steps below to learn how to play the game!

To step

Part 1 of 3: Setting up the game

1. Draw cards to see who will deal first and who will start first. Have everyone choose a card at random from a deck of cards. The person with the highest card becomes the dealer. The person with the next highest card can choose any place, and so on. The person to the left of the dealer starts.
   • In some variants, the first player is chosen once the cards are dealt, based on the lowest card face up.
2. Shuffle a deck for two players or two decks of cards for more players. Shuffle the cards 5-7 times to make sure they have been shuffled properly. Make sure you don't look at the cards while shuffling them!

   Note: You need two decks for 3-5 players, otherwise you will run out of cards too quickly.

   
   
3. Deal three cards face down to each player. Go around the table and place three cards in a row for each player. Continue in this way until each player has three cards in front of him. No one should look at these cards anymore, not even the player you gave them to!
   • Normally you start with the person to your left.
4. Deal out six cards face down to each person. Then you count six cards for the person to your left, apart from the three you just gave to everyone. Go around the table like this until everyone has six cards, including yourself. The players may look at these cards, but everyone should keep them to themselves for now.
5. Look at your six cards and place three face up on your face down cards. Each player takes his set of six cards. Decide which three you want to put on top of your three face-up cards. In general, higher cards are better to reveal.
   • One variation has the dealer place three of the cards face up on top of the original three face down cards. This makes the game a bit more difficult, as you cannot reveal the easy-to-play cards.
6. Place the rest of the cards in the center for the draw pile. If you are the dealer, put the remaining pile that all players can reach, as that becomes the draw pile. These cards must be face down.

Part 2 of 3: The beginning of the game

1. Turn over one card from the draw pile and make the discard pile. If you are the dealer, place the card face up to the side of the draw pile. That becomes the starting card for the discard pile, and the player to the dealer's left will play it to start the game.
   • One variant says that the first player with an open three starts the game by playing a card from his hand. If no one has a three, it is the turn of the four. Another variation says that the person to the dealer's left plays the lowest card in his hand.
   • As an example, suppose the starting card is a six.
2. Play cards in ascending order from the starting card. If you are the starting player, you play a card that is equal to or higher than the starting card. You can actually play multiple cards, as long as they are all equal or higher and of the same rank.
   • You can use any higher card, but it is smarter to play your lower cards first.
   • For example, if the starting card is 6 of hearts, you can play 6 of spades, 7 of diamonds or king of clubs. You can also play 2 sixes or 3 eights.
   • The cards are arranged with the ace as the highest and the 3 as the lowest. The 2 is a special card that resets the deck.
3. Draw up to three cards in your hand. Once you have played, you will need three more cards to make your hand. Take enough cards from the draw pile to have three cards. Don't draw if you have three cards or more, which can happen later in the game.
   • So if you played one card, you take two.
   • In some variations, if you draw a card that has the same number as the last card you played on the deck, you may play it. This rule only applies if the next player has not yet added a card.
4. Pick up the entire discard pile if you can't play. You must play a card if you can. If you cannot play, you must pick up the discard pile. Then it is the next person's turn - he may play a card from his hand.
5. Continue to the next person on the left. After the first person has played, go around the table. Each person plays what they can in the middle, then draws up to three cards. If he can't play, he takes whatever is in the middle. The game continues in this way until the draw pile is used up.
6. Use twos and tens as wild cards. In most variations of this game, you can play the 2 on top of any card and return the discard pile to this number. You can also place the 10 on any card, but this will take the discard pile out of play instead of putting it back. The player who laid down the 10 then draws up to three cards and plays a random card.
   • You can play any card after playing a 2 or 10.
7. Clear the discard pile when playing four-of-a-kind. If four of the same numbers are played in a row, by one player or by several players, the discard pile is cleared. Put these aside, because these cards are out of play.
   • The player who played the last card can play any card, starting the discard pile again.
   • In some variations, anyone can indent to end four of a kind. For example, if the dealer is playing three 7's, someone across the table can play a 7 to complete four-of-a-kind, even if it is not his turn. He then takes his turn and skips the other players.

Part 3 of 3: The end of the game

1. Empty the draw pile completely. To start the last phase of the game, the draw pile must be empty. When that's done, don't shake. You just stop pulling off center.
2. Play until you run out of hand. When you can no longer draw, you only rely on your hand. Keep playing until there are no more cards in your hand. If you can no longer play, you still have to pick up the discard pile and put it in your hand.
   • Remember, you have to play a card if you can.
3. Go to your open cards when you have no more cards in your hand. If it's your turn and you don't have a hand, play one card from your face up cards. If you have multiple cards of the same rank, such as two jacks, you can play them both at the same time.
   • If you can't play a card, follow the same rule as before and pick up the discard pile. As soon as you pick up a pile, you must play them all before you play your cards on the table.
4. Play your face down cards to finish the game. When it is your turn and you have played all your face up cards, choose a card that is face up on the table. You don't have to look at it to choose. Just turn it over. If it is equal to or higher than the current card, you may play it. If not, you must pick up the discard pile.
   • If you pick up the discard pile, you must play it first before continuing to play your face down cards.
5. Play all your cards first to win. You must play all of your face-up and face-down cards to win the game. The first person to do this ends the game.
   • Play can continue after the first person finishes, but it's more fun to start another game instead.

Tips

• When setting up, choose the highest cards to reveal, along with twos and tens.
• Always try to get rid of the lower cards first.
• Keep 2s and 10s for as long as you can so you can play them when you need them.
• Try to get rid of multiple cards at once.