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 adding up the 41+ you need to get in.

• A♠

  Ace = 11 in a same-rank group or high run, 1 when low in a run
  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. A wild Joker can stand in for a missing card in either kind — its value is the card it represents.

Same-rank Tris

Three cards of the same rank, each a different suit. Lay them so colours alternate — no two same-colour cards (red ♥♦, black ♠♣) may touch, or the lay is rejected.

Same-suit sequence Tris

Three cards of the same suit in consecutive rank. A Joker takes a rank position from where you place it: J♠ Jkr K♠ makes the Joker Q♠ — lay the run low→high.

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.

You start locked. To get in, your first Lay must be valid Tris/Quatris groups whose points total 41 or more. There's no minimum number of groups — one group is enough if it reaches 41 (four Aces, A♠ A♥ A♦ A♣ = 44, gets you in alone), or several smaller groups together can clear 41. A four-of-a-kind counts toward the 41, then burns and leaves the table. Until you get in you can't add to floor groups or take the discard.

Every turn has three beats.

1. 01

   Draw

   Take a card from the stock pile, or — once you're in — take the discard top and use it like a draw.

2. 02

   Lay, add, or create

   Make your 41+ Lay to get in, or — once you're in — add to floor groups and create new ones. Laying is never required after the turn you get in.

3. 03

   Discard

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

Once you're in, you may add cards (layoffs) to any group already on the table — yours or another player's. A locked player can't add to floor groups. If a floor group holds a Joker, you can swap it out by laying the exact card it represents; the Joker comes to your hand.

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♣ — adding the fourth suit burns the group and leaves the table.

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 rush to get in — once your groups are on the floor, opponents can lay onto them.
• 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.