How to play Daifugo

What is Daifugo?

A card game where the order you empty your hand decides your rank: Daifugo, Fugo, Heimin, Hinmin or Daihinmin. The standard rules - 8-cut, Revolution, Lock, Sequences, Tribute and Foul finish - are always on, and house rules such as "Spade 3 beats Joker" and "5 skip" can be switched on or off when you create a room. Rounds continue one after another, with tribute exchanged in between.

Playing Daifugo at Kirakuken

• Standard rules built in (8-cut, Revolution, Lock, Sequences, Tribute, Foul finish)
• Pick house rules freely with checkboxes
• Tribute swaps cards between rounds, just like the real thing
• Choose the CPU's strength: Easy, Normal or Strong

Rules of Daifugo

These rules always apply at our tables.

Start

all 54 cards, including 2 jokers, are dealt out. In the first round a random player leads; from the next round on, the previous round's Daifugo leads.

Card strength

from weakest, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A, 2, with the joker strongest of all. A revolution reverses the order of the numbers (the joker stays strongest).

Playing

when the table is empty, lead any single card, two or more cards of the same number, or a straight. When cards are on the table, you may only play the same number of cards in the same kind of combination, and stronger. A joker can stand in for another number within a set of the same number.

Passing

you may pass when you can't or don't want to play (but not when the table is empty). When everyone else passes in a row, the table is cleared and the last player to play leads again.

Going out and ranks

ranks are set by the order in which players empty their hands, and the round ends when one player is left. With 4 players the ranks are Daifugo, Fugō, Hinmin and Daihinmin; with 5 or more, Heimin come in between; with 3, Daifugo, Heimin and Daihinmin.

8-cut

playing a combination that contains an 8 clears the pile at once. It must still be a legal play: stronger than the pile and following any lock (you can't play an 8 on a 2). If you still have cards, you lead the next play yourself.

Revolution

playing four or more of the same rank at once (jokers may stand in) reverses the strength of the cards. It lasts until another revolution or until a new round begins.

Lock

if a single card, or a sequence with no joker, is followed by another of the same suit, only that suit may be played until the pile is cleared (pairs and other same-rank groups don't lock).

Sequences

three or more consecutive cards of the same suit can be played together (a joker can't fill a gap).

Tribute

at the start of each new round the Daihinmin must hand their two strongest cards to the Daifugo, and the Hinmin their strongest card to the Fugo. Those who receive give back cards of their choice in return.

Total points

each round scores by finishing place (with four players, Daifugo 3, Fugo 2, Hinmin 1, Daihinmin 0). The final standings go by total points; on a tie, whoever placed higher in the last round ranks higher.

Foul finish

going out with a play containing an 8, a joker or a 2 (a 3 during a revolution), going out while starting a revolution (four of a kind, or a sequence of five or more when Sequence revolution is on), or going out with a Spade 3 makes you Daihinmin, whatever your place.

Ending

keep playing round after round with “Next round”. When the host presses “End here (rank by current score)”, the final standings are set by total points.

Optional rules

You choose these when opening a table.

Spade 3 beats Joker

when the pile is a single joker played alone, a single 3 of spades beats it. The weakest card can top the usually unbeatable joker. A pair containing a joker, or a 3 of another suit, won't do. Going out with the Spade 3 is a foul finish and makes you Daihinmin.

5 skip

playing a combination that contains a 5 skips the next player. Playing two 5s at once still skips only one player.

7 pass

when you play a combination that contains a 7, you may give one card from your hand to any player you like, or keep it. However many 7s you play, you pass only one card. If passing your last card empties your hand, you go out.

9 reverse

playing a combination that contains a 9 reverses the direction of play. It stays reversed until another 9 is played or a new round begins.

Eleven back

playing a combination that contains a J reverses card strength until the pile is cleared (the joker stays strongest). Played during a revolution, it brings back the normal order until the pile is cleared.

Joker breaks Lock

during a lock, a play containing a joker may ignore the lock, and the lock ends when it is played (it must still beat the pile). Without this rule you can still play a joker during a lock, but the lock stays until the pile is cleared.

Number lock

if you play the rank directly above the pile (any suit), then until the pile is cleared each play must be exactly one rank higher (5→6→7…). It works the same with pairs and triples. During a revolution or Eleven back it goes one rank lower instead, and the chain stops after the 2 (the 3 during a revolution). If a suit lock also applies, you must follow both.

Finishing restrictions

your last play must be a single card that is not a joker. You can't go out with a pair, a sequence or a joker.

Sequence revolution

a same-suit sequence of five or more cards starts a revolution, just like four of a kind, and reverses card strength. Going out with a sequence revolution is a foul finish and makes you Daihinmin.

Fall from grace

if anyone goes out before the previous round's Daifugo, the Daifugo drops out at once with cards still in hand and is Daihinmin for that round. A foul finish doesn't count as going out first, and anyone who fouls ranks below the fallen Daifugo. It never happens in the first round.

FAQ

How many players can play Daifugo?

3-6 players. If you're short of players, the host can add CPU players, so you can start a table on your own.

What age is Daifugo suitable for?

We suggest 8+. There's no age check, so treat it as a guide.

Does it cost anything?

Nothing at all. No account and no app to install: enter a name and you're straight in.

How long does a game take?

About 10-20 min.

Can I play on a smartphone?

Yes. It runs in the browser, so the same URL opens on iPhone and Android alike.

How do I invite friends?

Open a table and press "Invite link" to get its URL. Anyone you send it to comes straight to your table.