Revenge

Rules of Revenge

A two-player solitaire: plan your own progress and block your opponent at the same time. Played with two 52-card decks and 4 jokers. Suits do not matter; Ace is 1 and King is 13.

Goal of the game

Finish your pile of 27 cards before your opponent finishes theirs.

Setup

• One deck (blue backs) makes the two 27-card piles. Each pile gets 13 cards, then a joker as card 14, then 13 more cards on top.
• The second deck (red backs) deals 6 cards to each hand. Its two jokers are shuffled into the rest, which becomes the draw pile in the middle.
• The top card of each 27-card pile is always face up.
• The player whose pile card is lower starts. If they are equal, the player who joined starts.

Your turn

• Fill your hand up to 6 cards (already done on the first turn).
• Any ace in your hand or on top of your pile is played straight away onto an empty common pile. This happens automatically.
• Then play as many cards as you like onto the common piles, which both players share. Each pile is built from 1 (Ace) to 13 (King), and each card must be exactly one higher than the top card: 1, 2, 3 … 13.
• You can play from your hand, the top of your 27-card pile, or the front card of any column on your board.
• A common pile that reaches King is set aside, to be shuffled into the draw later.
• A card that has been played stays played. It cannot be taken back.

Jokers

• A joker can be any value, but you are never forced to play it.
• Played on a common pile, it takes the value it stands in for and keeps it.
• Played on your board, it stays wild until you use it.
• When jokers are shuffled back into the draw, they become wild again.

Ending your turn

When you can't or don't want to play any more, end your turn by putting one card from your hand face up on your board. Then it is your opponent's turn.

Your board

• At most 4 columns of up to 6 cards each.
• Only cards from your hand can go on your board, and only you can use your board.
• Only the front card of each column can be played. It blocks the cards behind it.
• Cards on your board can never be moved or rearranged.

Emptying your hand

If you play every card in your hand before putting one on your board, you draw 6 new cards at once and carry on with your turn.

When the draw pile runs out

• The set-aside King piles are shuffled to make a new draw pile.
• If there are none, the highest common pile is filled up to King with cards from the boards. The game looks for each next card on the active player's board first, then the other player's, alternating who is checked first for each card. Gaps in the boards close up.
• That completed pile is then shuffled into the draw, and the player whose turn it is carries on.

A full board

• If all 4 columns hold 6 cards, you cannot put a card down. If you also have no other move, your turn passes to your opponent.
• If you still have moves, you can play them, then press End turn.
• Next turn you first fill up to 6 cards, then check whether you can play. If not, the turn passes again.
• If both players are blocked three times in a row, the game is a draw.

Winning

When you play the last card of your pile, you still finish your turn. Your opponent then has one turn to finish their pile too. If they do, it is a draw; otherwise you win.

Move timer

The host can set a timer per move (off, or 30 to 120 seconds). If it runs out, your highest hand card goes into the first column with room and your turn ends.

Mistakes (playing with real cards)

The app only allows legal moves. At a real table:

• A card put on a column that already has 6 cards: if spotted before the other player starts, move it to another column or choose a different hand card. If spotted later, the other player chooses the column.
• Too many cards drawn: the player's hand is shuffled, the opponent picks one at random and it goes back into the draw pile. If spotted later, play on, but only draw back up to 6.
• Agree before you start whether you play strictly or allow some leniency.

Tips

• Watch your opponent's board: see what they need and what they are holding, and block them.
• Your pile card is a blocker. Think twice before putting a card of the same value on your board, as you will almost always play the pile card first.
• Playing more cards from your hand means more new cards next turn, but don't make it easier for your opponent to get their pile card out.
• Treat board cards as assets. Don't play them without a reason; you get no replacements for them.
• Fewer different common pile values give your opponent fewer chances. At the end of your turn, see if evening the piles out helps.
• Plan your board so it doesn't get clogged. Think about the order in which your cards will come out.

Playing in the app

Drag a card, or tap it and then tap a highlighted spot.

Card faces: SVG playing cards by Adrian Kennard (RevK), CC0 public domain.