SNEAK

If you've got it, flaunt it. If not, bluff it.

Players 2 to 7 Cards 52 or 104 Type Win cards by bluffing

Down

In this not very serious game you collect cards until you think you either have a winning combination or can bluff opponents into believing you have one. Different things happen depending on whether you "sneak" by playing a combination face down or "flaunt" by playing it face up.

Cards

Two or three players use a 52-card pack ranking AKQJ1098765432 in each suit. Five or more use two such packs shuffled together (104 cards). Four can use either one or two packs as preferred.

Deal

None! Each player deals in turn, but all the dealer has to do is shuffle the cards very thoroughly and stack them face down where everyone can reach them.

Object

To bluff and challenge your way into winning more cards than anyone else.

Play

Dealer's left-hand neighbour goes first and the turn to play passes always to the left. On your turn to play you can do one of three things:

Draw the top card of stock and add it to your hand. This is all you can do on your first turn.
Play a card or cards from your hand face down to the table. This is called sneaking and is an attempt to win cards by bluff. If nobody challenges (see below), you win these cards without showing them and add them to your winnings pile.
Play from your hand a card or card combination face up to the table. This is called flaunting and is an attempt to win cards by force. If nobody challenges or beats them (see below), you add these cards to your winnings pile.

Note. Whether you sneak or flaunt, you mustn't lead a number of cards greater than anyone can match. For example, you may not lead a three-card combination if nobody else currently holds more than two cards.

Card combinations ("combos")

A combo is two or more cards of the same rank, suit or sequence played together. Only combos of the same size (that is, containing the same number of cards) ever compete with one another. Combos beat one another as follows, from highest to lowest:

Match = Two or more cards of the same rank (such as 4-4, J-J-J, etc)
Straight flush = Two or more cards in suit and sequence. (Ace counts high or low, so A-K-Q... and A-2-3... are equally valid.)
Straight = Two or more cards in sequence but not flush. (Ace counts high or low, so A-K-Q... and A-2-3... are equally valid.)
Flush = Two or more cards of the same suit but not all in sequence. This is the lowest combination

Challenging a sneak

If you sneak (lead face down), anyone can challenge you by playing the same number of cards face down. If nobody challenges, you just add those cards to your winning pile without showing them. Otherwise, when all are ready, you turn them face up, and each challenger in turn, passing to the left, does likewise.

If you lead a singleton, the highest card wins regardless of suit.
If you lead two or more cards, the highest combo (as listed above) wins, regardless of type. As between combos of the same type, the one with the highest top card wins, or second highest if equal, and so on.

In either case, if the highest card or combo is tied, then it is the tied card or combo played last that wins.

Challenging a flaunt

If you flaunt (lead face up), anyone can challenge you by playing the same number of cards face up. If more than one person announces a challenge, they must reveal their challenging hands simultaneously.

If you lead a singleton, it can only be beaten by a higher card of the same suit.
If you led a combo, it can only be beaten by a higher combo of the same type - that is, the one containing the highest top card or cards.

Note If a straight flush is led, it can only be beaten by a higher straight flush. But if it is played to someone else's lead of a straight or a flush, it counts only as a straight or a flush - it doesn't beat them by virtue of being a straight flush. As before, ties are always broken in favour of the card or combo played last in rotation from the left of the leader.

The turn to play

No matter who wins a challenge, the turn to play always passes to the left of the leader. It does not pass to the winner.

Endgame

When the last card has been drawn from stock, sneaking ends, and all further leads must be flaunted (led face up). The last player left with any cards in hand wins them without competition. Everybody scores 1 point for each card they won. The player to the left of the previous dealer shuffles the cards for the next round of play.

Game

Game is 100 points if played with a single pack or 200 points if played with two.

	© 2005-2011 by David Parlett
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	Original card games by David Parlett
Index	SNEAK If you've got it, flaunt it. If not, bluff it. Players 2 to 7 Cards 52 or 104 Type Win cards by bluffing	Down
	In this not very serious game you collect cards until you think you either have a winning combination or can bluff opponents into believing you have one. Different things happen depending on whether you "sneak" by playing a combination face down or "flaunt" by playing it face up.
	Cards Two or three players use a 52-card pack ranking AKQJ1098765432 in each suit. Five or more use two such packs shuffled together (104 cards). Four can use either one or two packs as preferred. Deal None! Each player deals in turn, but all the dealer has to do is shuffle the cards very thoroughly and stack them face down where everyone can reach them. Object To bluff and challenge your way into winning more cards than anyone else. Play Dealer's left-hand neighbour goes first and the turn to play passes always to the left. On your turn to play you can do one of three things: Draw the top card of stock and add it to your hand. This is all you can do on your first turn. Play a card or cards from your hand face down to the table. This is called sneaking and is an attempt to win cards by bluff. If nobody challenges (see below), you win these cards without showing them and add them to your winnings pile. Play from your hand a card or card combination face up to the table. This is called flaunting and is an attempt to win cards by force. If nobody challenges or beats them (see below), you add these cards to your winnings pile. Note. Whether you sneak or flaunt, you mustn't lead a number of cards greater than anyone can match. For example, you may not lead a three-card combination if nobody else currently holds more than two cards. Card combinations ("combos") A combo is two or more cards of the same rank, suit or sequence played together. Only combos of the same size (that is, containing the same number of cards) ever compete with one another. Combos beat one another as follows, from highest to lowest: Match = Two or more cards of the same rank (such as 4-4, J-J-J, etc) Straight flush = Two or more cards in suit and sequence. (Ace counts high or low, so A-K-Q... and A-2-3... are equally valid.) Straight = Two or more cards in sequence but not flush. (Ace counts high or low, so A-K-Q... and A-2-3... are equally valid.) Flush = Two or more cards of the same suit but not all in sequence. This is the lowest combination Challenging a sneak If you sneak (lead face down), anyone can challenge you by playing the same number of cards face down. If nobody challenges, you just add those cards to your winning pile without showing them. Otherwise, when all are ready, you turn them face up, and each challenger in turn, passing to the left, does likewise. If you lead a singleton, the highest card wins regardless of suit. If you lead two or more cards, the highest combo (as listed above) wins, regardless of type. As between combos of the same type, the one with the highest top card wins, or second highest if equal, and so on. In either case, if the highest card or combo is tied, then it is the tied card or combo played last that wins. Challenging a flaunt If you flaunt (lead face up), anyone can challenge you by playing the same number of cards face up. If more than one person announces a challenge, they must reveal their challenging hands simultaneously. If you lead a singleton, it can only be beaten by a higher card of the same suit. If you led a combo, it can only be beaten by a higher combo of the same type - that is, the one containing the highest top card or cards. Note If a straight flush is led, it can only be beaten by a higher straight flush. But if it is played to someone else's lead of a straight or a flush, it counts only as a straight or a flush - it doesn't beat them by virtue of being a straight flush. As before, ties are always broken in favour of the card or combo played last in rotation from the left of the leader. The turn to play No matter who wins a challenge, the turn to play always passes to the left of the leader. It does not pass to the winner. Endgame When the last card has been drawn from stock, sneaking ends, and all further leads must be flaunted (led face up). The last player left with any cards in hand wins them without competition. Everybody scores 1 point for each card they won. The player to the left of the previous dealer shuffles the cards for the next round of play. Game Game is 100 points if played with a single pack or 200 points if played with two.