Pusoy Dos

Pusoy Dos, a variation of Big Two, is a popular type of shedding card game with origins in the Philippines. The object of the game is to be the first to get rid of all your cards by playing them to the table. If you cannot be first to play all your cards, then your aim is to have as few cards as possible when another player finishes first. Cards can be played separately or in certain combinations using poker hand rankings. Games of Pusoy Dos can be played by three or four people.

Rules

Note: Like many popular card games, there are variations to these rules. Rules with variations are noted where possible.

Suit order

From high to low, the suit order is , diamonds (♦), hearts (♥), 'spades (♠),clubs (♣)', with the 2♦ being the highest card in the game and the 3♣ the lowest.

Another popular variation to the suit order is: From highest to lowest, 'clubs (♣), spades (♠), hearts (♥), diamonds (♦), with the 2♣ being the highest and the 3♦ being the lowest.

Yet another variation to the suit order is: From highest to lowest, 'spades (♠), clubs (♣), hearts (♥), diamonds (♦), with the 2♠ being the highest and the 3♦ being the lowest.

Also another variation to the suit order is: From highest to lowest, 'spades (♠), hearts (♥), clubs (♣), diamonds (♦), with the 2♠ being the highest and the 3♦ being the lowest.

Card combinations

There are three or four types of card combinations that can be used in play.

Single card: Cards rank from 2 (highest) to 3 (lowest). Between cards of the same rank, the higher suit beats the lower suit. That is, a 5♦ beats a 5♥.

Pair: A pair of equally ranked cards. Between pairs of the same rank, the pair with the higher suit wins. That is, a 7♠-7♦ beats a 7♥-7♣.

Three of a kind: Three equally ranked cards. This is a variation of game play and may be excluded or included as a valid card combination.

Five-card hand: Any five-card combination following the poker hand rankings.^[1] From highest to lowest, valid poker hands include:

• Straight flush
• Four of a kind (plus an additional card/a Kicker)
• Full House
• Flush
• Straight

The playable combinations are similar to poker hands, but there are vital differences. Unlike poker, there are no "two pair" combinations, and although a four of a kind needs a fifth card to be complete, a three of a kind cannot be accompanied by extra cards (except for a full house when played as a five-card hand). Because the two has the highest rank, a royal flush does not necessarily beat a straight flush.

Also, a combination can only be beaten by a better combination with the same number of cards: A single card can be beaten only by a single card, a pair by a pair, a three of a kind by a three of a kind, and a five-card hand by a five-card hand.^[2]

Dealing and playing

The dealer shuffles the deck and then deals one card at a time either clockwise or counter-clockwise^[3] until each player has 13 cards (52 cards / 4 players = 13 cards per player). In games with three people, either 39 or 51 cards can be dealt (13 or 17 cards per player). In some variations, the deck must be reshuffled if any player is dealt all four twos.

The game begins when the player holding the lowest card, which is the 3♣ depending upon the suit order being played, plays that card or a valid card combination including that card. The card combination should be placed faced up in the center of the table. Play then proceeds clockwise or counterclockwise. The next person must play a higher combination of the same number of cards or pass (play no cards). If all players pass, the person who last put down a card combination starts a new round by playing any card or valid card combination.

All players are entitled to know the number of cards each player has in hand at any time, and you must answer truthfully if asked.^[3]

Winning and scoring

The first person to get rid of all his/her cards wins, and game play stops at this point. If you cannot be first to play all your cards, then your aim is to have as few cards as possible at the end of the game. In some variations of the game, game play continues until only one person still has cards in hand.

Game scoring can involve penalty points, like Big Two, or positive points.^[4] In versions of the game where game play ends when a person wins, the winner is awarded one point and the losers no points. In versions of the game where game play continues until only one person has cards, the winner is awarded five points, the second-place finisher is awarded three points, and the third-place finisher is awarded one point.