Palace of %$#&

Version 1.4, contributed by Bret Caron

1. Dealing

The game is played with two 52-card decks (no Jokers). First you must deal each player three (3) cards face down. These cards cannot be looked at until the end of the game. Once those cards are dealt, deal each player an additional six (6) cards face down. All remaining cards are put into a pickup stack (separate from the board of play or just board)

2. Getting Started

Out of the six cards you are given, place three of them face up on the three cards that are face down. The three cards face up and the three cards face down are called the 'original six.' The person with the worst 3 cards face up goes first, and continues to the left. Consider the number of wilds first, then values of the next highest card

3. Card Values

There are three (3) types of wilds, and those are as follow:

1. (3) - Highest card in the game. Shown to anyone on your turn. If the person who was shown the 3 does not have another 3, they must pick up all of the cards on the board. If they do have a 3, then they can reflect the other persons 3 and the one who originally played the 3 must pick up all the cards on the board. If the first person has another 3, they can reflect it back again. This goes on until there are no more 3's. If you are flashed a 3 and you don't have one, you can check if the top card on the pick up stack is a 3. If it is, you can play it.
2. (2) - Second highest card in the game. The 2 are a wild card that can be any non-wild you wish. Once it is played, the person who played it may play any other card in their hand they wish. If they don't want to play any of their cards, they must play the top card out of the pickup pile. If they wish to keep the card off the top of the pickup pile, they must pickup all the cards on the board. Also referred to as the reset/start over card.
3. (10) - The lowest of the wild card. A 10 can be played on any card just as the 2 or 3, but once played, the 10 and all the cards on the board are sent to the clear pile.
4. Special cases (7) - The 7 card must be played on another 7, a card lower than a seven, a clear board, or a 2. Once the 7 is played, the next player must play another 7, a wild, or a card lower than a 7.
4. Playing the game

The basic idea of the game is to get rid of all of your cards first. When it is your turn, you have several options, but you can never skip your turn.

1. You can play a card that is equal to or greater than the current card on the board (see Special cases for differences on 7)
2. You can play a wild.
3. If you cannot beat or match the current card on the board, or you don't wish to use your good cards, you can 'chance' it. To chance it, pick up one card from the pick up stack. If the card beats or matches the current card on the board or it is a wild, you can immediately play it. If the card does not beat/match the current card on the board, or you don't wish to use it, pick up all the cards on the board plus the card you just took from the pick up stack. You can play as many of the same card as you wish on your turn. The next person only has to beat or match the card, not the number of cards. (Ex. If you play three 5's, the next person can throw one six.) Once the card you drew touches the cards in your hand, you must pick up all the cards on the board regardless of what you drew.
4. Four (or more) of a kind or more acts like a 10 and a 2. It clears the board into the clear pile, and allows you to play another card. This does not mean that you by yourself must throw 4 or more of a kind to clear the board. If four or more of the same card are in a row, that is a clear on the person who played the cards to make the total four or more. (Ex. You throw down two 6's. If the person after you throws two or more 6's, that clears to him. He can then play another card.)
5. Remember you can always draw a card from the pick up stack. Even if the board is clear for your turn, or if you can beat it you are allowed to take a 'chance'. The only stipulation is that the card you drew must be played by either laying the card on the board or keeping the card and all of the other cards on the board (kept with any cards on the board or thrown down). You cannot play any other card on your turn if you chance a card.)
6. There must always be at least three cards in your hand until the pickup stack is gone. If you have less than three at the end of your turn, pick up cards from the pickup stack until you have three. If one of the cards you picked up matches the card you threw down, you can quickly throw it before the next person gets their card down. (Ex. You have 3 cards at the start of your turn. You lay down two 8's before the next persons turn; you must pickup two cards from the pickup stack. You picked up another 8 and a 6. Quickly throw down the 8 and pickup another card.) It pays to pay attention to the game to stop other players from doing this.
7. If you have more than three cards, you cannot take any cards from the pickup stack after you laid down a card. (Ex. You have four cards in your hand, and you play one on your turn. Now you have three cards and your turn is over.)
8. You cannot touch any of your original six until you have no other cards, and the pickup stack is gone. Any peaking at the face down cards in not allowed.
5. End Game
1. Once the pickup stack is gone and you are left with your original 6, you can elect to take all three of the cards face up into your hand to be played as normal. They never have to go back down where they can be seen.
2. After all of the cards that were once face up, and any other cards you had to pick up after you began to play the three face up are gone, you move onto the three face down cards.
3. When you are ready to use the three face down cards, there are some rules to be followed.
1. Only look at one card at a time, and that card must be played on your next turn.
2. If the face down card cannot beat the card on the board, keep the card in your hand, and pick up the remaining cards on the board.
3. Another face down card cannot be played until all of the cards in your hand are gone.
4. If the face down card can beat the card on the board, play it and take a look at the next face down card.
5. The same rules apply for the second card as the first card.
6. Once you have only one face down card left you can play it. If it beats the card on the board, you win. If it does not, pick up all the cards on the board and put the last face down card face down again. That last face down card must be the last card you play.
6. Extra Rules

If you want more special case cards, we sometimes (rarely) play with some of these rules.

1. (5) - We made this card a skip card. It number of skips depends on the number of 5's played at once
2. (4) - We play that this changes the rotation of the game. This allows you to get back at someone who has been hitting you high the whole game.
7. Help on rules
1. I can be contacted at my e-mail address (bpcaron@hotmail.com)
8. Thanks

I would like the thank the following (in alphabetical order)
Brian Quick for requiring us to carve the rules in stone
Neil Wagner for being the best man
Jason Williams for playing the game since day one.
Kelly Hill for everything
Krissy Thrower for teaching me how to play palace and always up for a game
The Mikes for developing the rules (Mike T for the extra rules we came up with at 4:00 AM)
Phu Le for the competition and the poker
Ricky King for never actually playing the game
Josh Olson for hating Palace and everything else
Hazel Solis for a good time call....

... And finally, his most capable and brilliant card player, Myself - Bret Caron (because I never lose)