Biscuits
Biscuits Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
The object of the game is to play all of your cards to the table, preferably while helping your partner to shed all of their cards in the process. If you cannot be the first to play all your cards, then your aim is to have as few cards as possible when an opponent finishes.
Components
A standard deck of playing cards:
(low) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Jack Queen King Ace (high) in 4 suits.
Setup
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Choose your partner using your preferred method. Your team will remain fixed for the entire game.
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Sit across the table from your partner, with one opponent on your left and the other on your right.
Gameplay Flow
The game is played over multiple hands, each of which consists of several tricks. A TRICK consists of one player leading a card combination and other players matching or beating the last played combination, or passing. The Trick play continues clockwise around the table as many turns as possible until all but one player have passed.
Once the Trick ends, whoever played the last combination is the Trick winner. The card pile is cleared away and depending on the combination played earlier, a player may initiate a special action.
From there on, a new Trick is started by a player leading a card combination. When a player plays all their cards, the play is paused and scoring is done for their team before resuming the play. A Hand consists of several Tricks until two players are out of cards. Then, the Hand instantly ends, scoring is done for the second player's team, all cards are shuffled, and a new hand is dealt.
Starting a Hand
For the first Trick of the first Hand, the hungriest player becomes the Starter. In subsequent Hands, the Starter is the next player clockwise from the last Starter in the partnership that is behind or tied in score.
The Starter shuffles the cards and deals 13 cards to each player. These cards may be rearranged in your hand and should be kept hidden from the other players. Everyone passes 2 cards simultaneously to their teammate before starting the first Trick.
If you are the Starter, begin the Trick by playing any combination. Then, the play moves to the next player clockwise.
Combination Types
There are two Groups of card combination types: Plain Biscuits and Fancy Biscuits. In Plain Biscuits, there are 3 combination types: Singles, Pairs, and Triples. All combinations in Fancy Biscuits are made up of 5 cards each.
| Combination | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Plain Biscuits | ||
| 1) Single | 1 card played by itself | 5 |
| 2) Pair | 2 cards of the same rank | 5 5 |
| 3) Triple | 3 cards of the same rank | 5 5 5 |
| Fancy Biscuits | ||
| 1) Straight | 5 cards of consecutive rank with mixed suits | 2 3 4 5 6 |
| 2) Flush | Any 5 cards of the same suit; between two flushes, compare the highest ranked single. | 2 5 7 9 10 (all one suit) |
| 3) Full House |
Playing Stronger Combinations
A played combination is stronger than the previous combination as long as any of the following is true:
- The same combination type and the card(s) are of the same rank as, OR higher rank than, the previous combination.
- Any higher ranked combination type in the same combination group.
For example: You can beat a Single 5 with a Single 5, or any higher Single like 10, or any Pair like 2 2, or any Triple like 2 2 2.
This works the same for Fancy Biscuits. For example: You can beat a Straight 2 3 4 5 6 with another Straight 2 3 4 5 6, or any Flush 2 5 7 9 10, or any Full House 2 2 2 5 5, or any Quad 2 2 2 2 5, or any Straight Flush 2 3 4 5 6.
Reminder: You cannot play a Fancy Biscuit over a Plain Biscuit or vice versa.
Trick End and Special Actions
A player goes out when they have played their last card.
Once the Trick ends, whoever played the last combination is the Trick winner. The card pile is cleared away and depending on the Combination Group played earlier, a player may initiate a special action.
Plain Biscuits action: The opponent next to the Trick winner clockwise may exchange a card with their teammate. The special action initiator can pass a card face-down to their teammate. Their teammate looks at the card and then sends a card back, which could be the one they just received.
Fancy Biscuits action: The Trick winner can give the lead to their teammate.
If your teammate has already gone out, you cannot initiate a special action with them. If the Trick winner goes out with a Fancy Biscuits, they can give the lead to their teammate.
Communication limit: Partners cannot discuss which cards they want or who should lead. The choice to do the special action is made by the initiating player on their own.
Scoring
During the Hand, any player that goes out will immediately score 1 point per card in the opponent's hand which has the most cards.
Starting a New Trick
When the Trick ends, if the Hand has not also ended, then the previous Trick winner starts the next Trick. If the Trick winner goes out by playing a Plain Biscuits combination, then the player clockwise in turn order will start the next Trick.
Hand End
When any 2 players have gone out, the Trick and the Hand ends. If the game is not over, begin a new Hand.
Game End
Play to an agreed upon number of points. The game ends whenever you want it to end. A good short but satisfying game is 30 points or 4 Hands, whichever happens first. The team with the most points wins. If there is a tie, continue playing Hands until there is a winner.
Strategy Tips
For the initial two card pass, you can pass 2 cards of the same rank to help your partner make Triples or Full House.
Alternatively, you can pass 2 cards of the same suit to help make a Flush, or pass 2 cards of consecutive ranks of the same suit to help make a Straight Flush.