Pits (Zheng Shangyou)

(4-8 Players) (Ages 8+)

Equipment and Objective

Pits uses a 54-card pack consisting of the standard 52 cards with the addition of two
distinguishable jokers referred to here as Red and Black. The object of each hand is to be the first
to play out all one's cards and thereby gain 2 points or second and gain 1 towards a rubber-
winning total of (usually) 11.

The Deal
The initial dealer is chosen at random. The cards are dealt to the players clockwise starting with
the dealer. Depending on the number of players, some may have more cards than others - this
does not matter.

The Play
The dealer begins by leading any playable combination.

The opportunity to play proceeds clockwise and at each turn a player chooses to pass or to play.
A player who has passed is not debarred from playing if the chance comes around again. After
the lead, all plays must:

 contain the same number of cards as the lead

 form the same type of pattern
 be higher-ranking than the previous play

Play continues until all but one of the players pass in turn whereupon all the played cards are
gathered up and put aside. Whoever played last (and therefore highest) starts again by leading
any playable combination.

By this means, the players will eventually run out of cards. The first player to do so wins the
hand, the second comes second, and so on. The hand is played to the bitter end, until only one
player has cards left, for reasons explained below.

If the player due to lead has no cards, the turn to lead passes to the left.

Playable combinations
There are four types of playable combination, as follows:
(i) Single card
The rank from low to high is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A, black joker, red joker.
Suit is irrelevant.
(ii) Set of 2 or more cards of the same rank
These rank in the same way as single cards, suit being irrelevant. Aces or jokers can be
used as wild cards to stand for any lower card. A set containing wild cards is beaten by an
equal ranked 'pure' set.
(iii) Single sequence of three or more cards of consecutive rank
The rank from low to high is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K. Aces cannot be used in
single sequences - neither as wild cards nor as natural cards in their own right. Jokers can
be used as wild cards to stand for any card from two to king. Any single suited sequence
is better than any mixed suited sequence of the same length.
When comparing two mixed suited sequences, the one containing higher ranking cards is
better. Between equal ranking mixed suited sequences a 'pure' sequence beats an 'impure'
sequence containing one or more jokers.
In the same way a higher single suited sequence beats a lower one, and if the ranks are
equal a 'pure' sequence beats an 'impure' one.
(iv) Multiple sequence
This consists of equal numbers of cards (two or more) of each of three or more
consecutive ranks (such as 9-9-10-10-J-J). The cards rank as for single sequences with 2
low and King high. Suit is irrelevant. Jokers can be used as wild cards to stand for any
other card. Aces can also be used as wild cards, with the limitation that you cannot use
aces to stand for all the cards of a particular rank - at least one card of each rank must be
natural or a joker. A multiple sequence can only be beaten by a better multiple sequence
containing the same number of ranks and the same number of cards of each rank. A
multiple sequence containing higher ranks is better than a lower one, and if the ranks are
equal a 'natural' multiple sequence beats one with wild cards.

Examples of sets

 7-A-A can be played as three sevens. This can be beaten by 7-7-7 (natural sevens), which
can be beaten by 8-8-joker.
 9-A-A, 9-A-joker, 9-9-A and 9-9-joker are all equal; none of them can be played to beat
the others as they all contain wild cards.
 A-joker can be played as a pair of Aces; this is beaten by A-A, a natural pair of aces.
 A-A can be played as a pair of Aces; this is beaten by Joker-Joker because of a higher
rank.

Examples of single sequences

 Please note: aces cannot be used in single sequences. The following are not valid
sequences: A-2-3, J-Q-K-A, 5-6-A-8.
 Please note: a sequence must contain at least three cards. 6-7 is not a valid sequence.
 J- Q- K is beaten by 2- 3- 4, which can then only be beaten by a higher
sequence in a single suit.
  The presence of 'impurities' in the form of wild cards is only used as a deciding factor
between otherwise equal-ranking plays, e.g. 6-Joker- 8 beats 7- 8- 9 because
the Joker is deemed to represent the 7. This Heart sequence would be beaten by 6-
7- 8 on account of purity, or by a higher pure or impure single suited sequence.

Examples of multiple sequences

 Multiple sequences must have at least three consecutive ranks. The following are not
valid:
o 6-6-6-7-7-7 (only two ranks)
o 5-5-7-7-8-8 (not consecutive)
o 7-7-8-8-8-9-9 (each rank must have same number of cards)
o 7-7-A-A-9-9 (illegal to substitute aces for both eights)
 5-5-6-A-7-joker (impure) can be beaten by 5-5-6-6-7-7 (pure), which is beaten by 6-
joker-7-A-8-8 (higher).
 Q-Q-K-K-A-joker is valid only if you regard the A and joker as substitutes for jacks.
Aces cannot be used as a natural rank in a multiple sequence. J-J-Q-Q-K-K is therefore
higher.
 This is very unlikely to come up but 10-10-10-J-J-J-Q-Q-Q-K-K-K does not beat 4-4-4-
4-5-5-5-5-6-6-6-6, because although they are both 12 cards they are different shapes of
multiple sequence.

Scoring
 The first player to run out of cards gains 2 points.
 The second player to be out of cards gains 1 point.
 The third player to get rid of their cards can begin to shuffle the cards, as they will be the
next dealer, and therefore start the play of the next hand.
 The last and second to last players are penalized in the next hand by having to give up
their best cards to the winners - see below. These are the pit dwellers.

If there are only four players, the player who was third is also second to last so that player both
deals next and has to give up a card.

If there are six or more players, the players who come in fourth to before next-to-last get no
score and suffer no penalty.

Second and subsequent deals

Immediately after the cards have been shuffled and distributed, the players who came last and
next-to-last must each throw their highest-ranking card face-up on the table. If they have several
equal highest cards, they can choose which to throw. The player who came first takes whichever
of these they prefer and adds it to their hand, leaving the other for the runner-up. These top two
players then each discard face-up an unwanted card of their choice; the next-to-last player of the
previous hand chooses one of these and adds it to their hand leaving the other unwanted card to
the lower pit-dweller who must add it to their hand. Play then begins as before, with the dealer
making the first lead.

Partnership Game
With 4 or 6 players it is usual to play as two teams. The six player partnership game is said to be
the most interesting version of Pits.

Six players with partnerships

There are two teams of three, each player sitting between two opponents. Before the cards are
shuffled prior to the first deal a card is drawn from the pack and then replaced. Whoever draws
this card in the first deal will start the first hand.

The rules of play are as usual and the order in which the players run out of cards determines the
scores for the teams. If the players who finish first and second are on opposite teams, the scores
are as follows:

 The team of the player who finishes first adds 3 points to its score.
 The team of the player who finishes second adds 2 points to its score.
 The team which does not contain the player who finished last adds 2 extra points to its
score.

So for example if a team takes 2nd, 3rd and 5th place, they score 4 (2 for coming second and 2
for not coming last) and their opponents score 3 (for their first place).

If the first and second places are taken by members of the same team, the scoring is different and
depends on the position of the third member of that team:

 If the third team member takes third place, the team has all of the top three places and
scores 10 points for this; the other team scores nothing.
 If the third team member comes fourth or fifth, the team scores just 5 points for the top
two places; the other team scores nothing.
 If the third team member comes last, the team with first and second place scores 5 points
and the other team scores 2 for not having last place.

In the second and subsequent hands the fifth and sixth players from the previous hand must give
up their highest cards to the first and second players (the first player has first choice) and these
players give any unwanted card in exchange (fifth player has first choice). In fact if you are first
or second and your partner is fifth, you might well choose to return a good card to help your
partner.

In the second and subsequent hands the play is started by the player who finished fifth in the
previous hand.
The object of the game is to reach a score of 50 points or more, and the first team to do so is the
winner. If both teams reach 50 on the same deal the team with the higher score wins. If it is a tie
another hand is played.

Four players with partnerships

Four people can also play a partnership game, with partners sitting opposite. The rules of play
and scoring are exactly as in the individual game, but partners combine their scores. If you are
first or second and your partner is third, you may choose to throw away a high card - maybe a
wild card - to help your partner, who gets first choice of the discards.

Variations
Some allow aces as valid natural cards in sequences, so for example Q- K- A would be a
valid single suited sequence beating J- Q- K.

Hints on play
The appeal of the game, particularly for pit-dwellers, is to discover how skillful play and some
luck with the cards dealt can enable one to 'struggle upstream' and end up on top. One should try
to keep plans flexible and be ready to re-assess the hand according to the play of others.

The most urgent priority is to get rid of your low cards. The only way you can ever play an
isolated 2 is by leading it so if you are fortunate enough to have the lead take advantage of it to
get rid of such a card. The same applies to low combinations, such as 2-3-4-5. If your hand
contained 2-2-3-4-5, you might lead the 2-3-4-5 in the hope that no one else had a sequence of 4
and then follow up with your 2.

Do not lead high cards unless you can see a safe way to get rid of all your cards by doing so.
High cards are best used for gaining the lead. Use the lead to get rid of low cards. With 4-4-7-A-
A as your last five cards, lead the 4-4, take back the lead with the A-A, and then play the 7. Do
not lead 4-4-A-A as a set of four fours; if someone has four sixes, you will probably left holding
your 7 after everyone else has finished.

If you have a group of cards like 3-4-5-5-6-7 it will often be best to play this as two sequences:
3-4-5 and 5-6-7, especially if one of them is single suited. If you had the lead you might lead the
five card sequence 3-4-5-6-7 if you were fairly sure no one could beat it (or if you were
desperate) and if no one else plays a 5 card sequence you could then go out by leading the 5. It
will almost never be right to play the two fives as a pair. That would leave you with four low
cards (3, 4, 6, 7) which can only be played singly.

It is unwise to store up a rock-crushing 9-card sequence while repeatedly passing, if one has no
'entry' to the lead with a probable winner (e.g. Joker or J-Q-K sequence). Consider splitting it
into shorter sequences - for example you might take the lead with the upper four cards and then
play the lower five.
Try to avoid being trapped with too few cards to follow a lead late in the hand (or conversely
exploit this problem in someone else's hand!). Don't be surprised if derisive fingers are pointed
when you're left with 2s at the end!

Some attention to what cards are out, particularly wild cards, will obviously help to ensure the
success of one's winning strategy.