العربية

How to Play 150 — your first game, step by step

150 takes one round to learn and a lifetime of grudges to master. This walkthrough covers exactly what you'll see at the table, what to tap on each turn, and the mistakes every beginner makes once (and only once). For the full formal rules, see the complete 150 ruleset.

The idea in one breath

You have four face-down cards. You only ever saw two of them. Each turn you try to make your hidden hand worth fewer points — by swapping in low cards, dumping matches, and using face-card powers — then call "END" when you believe you're the lowest at the table. Round scores pile up, and the moment anyone's total hits 150, the game is over: lowest total wins.

Step 1 — Memorize your bottom two cards

When a round starts, you'll see your four cards laid out in a 2×2 grid, and the bottom two flip up for your eyes only. You don't get to choose which two — it's always the bottom pair. Burn them into memory: rank and position. When you're ready, tap "Got it" and they flip face-down.

Step 2 — Understand your turn

On your turn you do exactly one of three things:

1. Draw or take a card. Tap the face-down draw pile for a mystery card, or tap the face-up discard pile to grab the known card on top. A drawn number card can be swapped into your grid (the replaced card goes to the discard) or thrown away directly. A card taken from the discard must be swapped in. A drawn Jack, Queen, or King can be discarded to fire its power — or kept as a painful 20 points.
2. Match the top discard. If you're sure one of your face-down cards has the same rank as the card sitting on the discard pile, tap it to dump it. Right = the card is gone for good and your hand shrinks. Wrong = you take it back plus a penalty card. Matching is your entire turn — no drawing afterwards.
3. Call "END." When you think your hand is the lowest at the table, hit the END button. Everyone else gets one last turn, then all cards are revealed and the round is scored. You can call instead of acting, or right after your action.

Step 3 — Know the card values

• Red tens (10♥/10♦) are 0 points — the best cards in the game. Never let one pass you by.
• Aces are 1, and 2–9 are face value.
• Black tens are 10, and J/Q/K are 20 each — the cards you want out of your hand.

Step 4 — Use the face-card powers

When you draw a face card from the draw pile, discarding it activates a power:

• Jack: trade one of your cards for one of an opponent's — both picked blind. You get to see the card you took; they don't see what you handed them.
• Queen: peek at one of your own face-down cards. This is the only way to check your own hand mid-round, so use it on a card you're unsure about.
• King: draw again and resolve the new card normally — powers can even chain.

Step 5 — Your first few turns, in practice

1. Early on, draw from the draw pile and swap low cards over your two unknown top cards — an unknown card is a 20-point face card waiting to happen.
2. Watch the discard pile like a hawk. If an opponent throws a red ten or an Ace, take it and swap out your worst known card.
3. When the top discard matches a card you know you hold, dump it. Smaller hand = fewer points at the reveal.
4. Once your known cards are low and few, think about calling END — but remember: if anyone ties or beats you, you add double your hand.

Beginner mistakes to avoid

• Forgetting your own cards. Repeat positions to yourself ("bottom-left 3, bottom-right 7") every turn. One lapse and a "safe" match becomes a penalty card.
• Keeping a drawn face card. Twenty points is almost never worth it — use the power instead.
• Matching on a hunch. A wrong match grows your hand by one. Only dump cards you genuinely remember.
• Calling END too early. A tie counts as a failed call. Don't call on a mediocre hand just because you're impatient.
• Ignoring what you leave on the discard. The next player can match against it or take it — don't gift them a red ten.

Frequently asked questions