Struggling Upstream (Zhēng Shàngyóu)
- 👤 Players:
- 3-4 (Best at 3)
- ⏱ Time to play:
- 30 minutes
- ♟ Equipment:
- 52 card deck + 2 jokers.
- 🧠 Designer(s):
- Uncredited.
QR Code
Player Aid
| Combo (ASC) | Example |
|---|---|
| Single | 8 |
| Pair | 99 |
| Trip | 444 |
| Full House | 66KKK |
| Run | 456 |
| Stair | JJQQ |
| Plate | 777888 |
| Bomb | 3333 |
| Rocket | Both Jokers |
Player with 2♠︎ starts. Bombs/Rockets can be played at any time. Suits do not matter.
| Card Rank (ASC) |
|---|
| 2 → A (as normal) |
| Black Joker |
| Red Joker |
This is a variant of Zhēng Shàngyóu / 争上游 (which roughly translates to Struggling Upstream). As a folk game, there are dozens of variants and house rules that vary by geographical region.
Setup #
- 3 players = 18 cards
- 4 players = 13 cards (remove 2♦︎ and 2♣︎)
Play #
The player holding the 2 of Spades leads first (but is not required to play it). This player may lead with any combination.
- A player must follow the lead combination with a higher ranked combination of same type and length, play a bomb, or pass.
- If any player passes, they may still play cards in the future if the play comes back around to them.
- When all players pass except one, then the table is cleared and the last person who did not pass leads the next hand.
Goal #
First player to shed out (get rid of all cards) wins.
Card Order #
The card rankings in ascending order:
- 2 through Ace, as normal
- Black Joker
- Red Joker
Suits do not matter!
Combos #
A combo can only be beaten by a higher version of itself (or a bomb/rocket).
- Single: One card played by itself.
- Pair: Two cards of the same rank.
- Triple: Three cards of the same rank.
- Full House: Three card of the same rank plus two cards of the same rank. Ranked by triple.
- Run: Three or more cards of consecutive rank. No 2s or Jokers allowed.
- Stair: Two or more pairs of consecutive rank.
- Plate: Two or more triples of consecutive rank.
Bombs #
- Bomb: Four cards of the same rank.
- Rocket: Black Joker plus Red Joker.
Bombs can be played at any time and can be beaten by a higher bomb. The rocket beat bombs.
Scoring #
Score isn't always kept, but if desired:
- 1st out scores 2.
- 2nd out scores 1.
- 3rd out scores 0.
First to make 6 points wins. If there's a tie, play another hand to break the tie.
Last place shuffles for the next game.
Nathan's Notes
Great simple game that's easy to teach and quick to play. Traditionally the 2's are played as the highest cards, but I've omitted that for teaching simplicity. The targeted discard to achieve an even deal is from Hearts, and ensures that the 2♠︎ remains to start the hand.
Date added: | Modified: