How to play Thirty-One

One standard deck and two to nine players. Aces count 11, picture cards 10, others face value. Each player starts with three lives (tokens).

Avoid having the lowest hand when the round ends. Lose all your lives and you are out; the last player in wins.

1. 1Deal three cards to each player.
2. 2Turn one card face up to start the discard pile; the rest form the stock.

1. 1On your turn, draw from the stock or take the top discard, then discard one card.
2. 2Your hand is worth the total of the cards in your best single suit.
3. 3Instead of drawing, you may knock at the start of your turn. Every other player then gets one last turn.

• After the final turns, everyone shows their hands. The lowest hand loses a life.
• If the knocker is lowest, the knocker loses two lives. If the knocker ties for lowest, the others lose the life.
• Players with no lives left drop out; the last player standing wins.

• Many groups let a player with exactly 31 show it at once, ending the round immediately.
• Three of a kind is often worth 30 or 30½.

• Knock early with a solid hand of 25 or more—others may not have time to beat you.
• Track which suit your neighbor is collecting before discarding.
• With only two players left, you may take back your own discard after an opponent knocks—useful if you just threw away a needed card.