How to Play ConkerHow to Play Conker

Conker uses two standard 52-card decks plus four jokers. Each player is dealt 13 cards. The remaining cards form a face-down stock pile, and one card is turned face-up to start the discard pile.

Four suits. Hearts and diamonds are red. Spades and clubs are black.

Use these point values when calculating your 41-point opening.

• A♠

  Ace counts 11 inside a meld
  11
• J♠Q♥K♣

  J, Q, K each count 10
  10
• 2♦→10♣

  Number cards 2–10 count their pip value
  2–10
• J*★

  Joker counts 25 when left in your hand
  25

A Tris is any 3-card group. There are two kinds.

Same-rank Tris

Three cards of the same rank, each a different suit.

Same-suit sequence Tris

Three cards of the same suit in consecutive rank.

A Quatris is any 4-card group. There are two kinds.

Same-rank Quatris

Four cards of the same rank — one of each suit.

Same-suit sequence Quatris

Four cards of the same suit in consecutive rank.

Before you can do anything else on the table, you must open: drop at least three valid groups whose total point value is 41 or more.

Every turn has three beats.

1. 01

   Draw

   Take a card from the stock pile, or — once you've opened — from the discard pile.

2. 02

   Open, add, or lay

   Open, extend public table groups, or create new ones.

3. 03

   Discard

   End your turn by placing one card on the discard pile.

Once you've opened, you may add cards to any group already on the table — yours or another player's.

Extending a sequence

Sequences extend at either end — the new card must match the suit and continue the rank.

Filling a same-rank group

Same-rank groups accept the missing suit. A same-rank Tris of A♠ A♥ A♦ accepts A♣.

A same-rank Quatris with all four suits is complete: it closes and leaves the table. No more cards can be added to it.

This is a table setting. If agreed before the game, winning by discarding a Joker as your final card doubles your score for the round.

You don't win by playing all your cards to the table — you must always have one final card left to discard. That discard closes the round.

Always keep one final card to discard.

• 01Don't open too early — once the table is open, opponents can lay onto your groups.
• 02Watch the discard pile — what was thrown tells you what's still in play.
• 03If Joker Close Double is on, hold a Joker for your final discard.