Rules for Idiot

Idiot (also known as Palace or Karma) is a quick card game for 2-4 players. A round usually takes 10-20 minutes and uses a standard 52-card deck without jokers. The goal is to be the first to get rid of all your cards. The last player still holding cards is the "idiot."

Each player is dealt three cards face down in a row on the table, then three cards face up on top of those, and finally three cards as a hand. Before the game begins, players may swap any of their face-up table cards with cards from their hand. The remaining cards form a face-down draw pile.

Be the first to play all your cards. Aces are highest and 3s are lowest. Suit does not matter. 2s and 10s are special cards that can always be played.

The player with the lowest card in hand starts. On your turn, play one or more cards of the same value from your hand that are equal to or higher than the top card of the pile, or play a special card. If you cannot play, you must pick up the entire pile. You can also draw the top card from the draw pile and play it if it is high enough. If it is too low, you still have to pick up the pile.

2s can always be played. After a 2 is played, the next player can play any card. If four cards of the same value are played consecutively, the entire pile is cleared and removed from the game. 10s can be played at any time and clear the pile immediately.

If you have fewer than three cards in hand after your turn, draw from the pile until you have three. If you draw a card that matches the top card on the pile, you may play it immediately, but you must still draw until you have three cards in hand. Once the draw pile is empty, you play from your table cards. All face-up table cards must be played before you can play the hidden ones.

The first player to get rid of all their cards wins.

• 2 can be played at any time. Since even a 3 is higher than a 2, the next player can play any card.
• 10 can be played at any time and clears the pile when placed.
• Four cards of the same value also clear the pile, as long as their value is higher than the last card played.

The first player to get rid of all their hand and table cards wins. The game continues until only one player has cards left. That player is the idiot.

There are many variants of this game, including playing with jokers, allowing an extra card immediately after a 2, and allowing sequences (such as 5, 6, 7, 8) to be played together.