![]() A meld (trick) of four cards | |
Origin | United States |
---|---|
Alternative names | gin slaughter, slaughter |
Type | Draw and discard |
Players | 2 |
Skills | Tactics, strategy |
Cards | 54 (4 x K Q Ja 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 A, 2 x Jo) |
Deck | French |
Rank (high→low) | Jo K Q Ja 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 A |
Play | Clockwise or Counterclockwise |
Playing time | Various |
Chance | Middle |
Related games | |
Shithead (card game), Switch (card game) |
Gin Slaughtre, (also called gin slaughter or simply slaughter) is a two-player draw and discard card game.The sole aim of gin slaughtre is to discard all of the cards in one's hand; the first player to play their final card, and ergo have no cards left, wins the game. This game is similar to Shithead; belonging to the Shedding family.
Gin Slaughtre is played using a French deck of 54 cards. The ranking from high to low is Joker, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace.
A standard 52-card pack including jokers with French suit symbols is used. The Jokers, 2s, 5s, Jacks and 9s have special privileges. All other cards rank in their natural order and suits are irrelevant to some extent.
The objective in gin slaughtre is to be the first player with no cards in their hand deck.
The basic game strategy is to have no cards in your hand by forming melds (called tricks in gin slaughtre). Gin Slaughtre has two types of tricks: Sets of three or four cards sharing the same rank, e.g. ; and runs or sequences of three or more cards in the same suit, such as or more. Aces are considered low—they can form a set with other aces but only the low end of runs ( is a legal run but is not). A player can form any combination of tricks within their hand; all sets, all runs, or some sets and some runs.
From a shuffled deck of cards, the dealer gives each player 7 cards: 3 upcards and 4 hand cards. The upcards will be played last and players are not allowed to see or change them until the endgame phase. They will only be played once the hand cards are exhausted.
After the deal and before play begins, players may switch their hand cards with those face up on the table in order to produce a strong set of upcards (ideally high cards, 2s or 5s, 9s) for later in the game.
Eldest hand is the first player dealt a 3 as an upcard. If no player has 3 face up, then the first player to declare a 3 in hand starts. If no-one has a 3, then the game is started by the person dealt a 4, etc. Eldest leads off by playing a card or set of cards face up in the middle of the table to start a common discard. In turn and in clockwise order, players play a card or set that is equal to or higher in rank than the top card of the discard. If unable or unwilling to do so, they must pick up the discard and add it to their hand cards.
Each player must initially have at least 4 cards in hand at all times; a player who has fewer than 4 after playing to the discard, draws cards from the stock, if possible, to make the hand up to 3 again.
Several cards have special roles:
A player who has no more cards in hand when the stock is empty must play from their upcards. If unable or unwilling to play an upcard, the player must pick up the discard. Once all of the upcards have been played, that player wins. These are played unseen and if the chosen card is lower than the previous card played, the discard must be picked up and, on subsequent turns, the player must play their hand cards before playing any more upcards.
![]() A meld (trick) of four cards | |
Origin | United States |
---|---|
Alternative names | gin slaughter, slaughter |
Type | Draw and discard |
Players | 2 |
Skills | Tactics, strategy |
Cards | 54 (4 x K Q Ja 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 A, 2 x Jo) |
Deck | French |
Rank (high→low) | Jo K Q Ja 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 A |
Play | Clockwise or Counterclockwise |
Playing time | Various |
Chance | Middle |
Related games | |
Shithead (card game), Switch (card game) |
Gin Slaughtre, (also called gin slaughter or simply slaughter) is a two-player draw and discard card game.The sole aim of gin slaughtre is to discard all of the cards in one's hand; the first player to play their final card, and ergo have no cards left, wins the game. This game is similar to Shithead; belonging to the Shedding family.
Gin Slaughtre is played using a French deck of 54 cards. The ranking from high to low is Joker, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace.
A standard 52-card pack including jokers with French suit symbols is used. The Jokers, 2s, 5s, Jacks and 9s have special privileges. All other cards rank in their natural order and suits are irrelevant to some extent.
The objective in gin slaughtre is to be the first player with no cards in their hand deck.
The basic game strategy is to have no cards in your hand by forming melds (called tricks in gin slaughtre). Gin Slaughtre has two types of tricks: Sets of three or four cards sharing the same rank, e.g. ; and runs or sequences of three or more cards in the same suit, such as or more. Aces are considered low—they can form a set with other aces but only the low end of runs ( is a legal run but is not). A player can form any combination of tricks within their hand; all sets, all runs, or some sets and some runs.
From a shuffled deck of cards, the dealer gives each player 7 cards: 3 upcards and 4 hand cards. The upcards will be played last and players are not allowed to see or change them until the endgame phase. They will only be played once the hand cards are exhausted.
After the deal and before play begins, players may switch their hand cards with those face up on the table in order to produce a strong set of upcards (ideally high cards, 2s or 5s, 9s) for later in the game.
Eldest hand is the first player dealt a 3 as an upcard. If no player has 3 face up, then the first player to declare a 3 in hand starts. If no-one has a 3, then the game is started by the person dealt a 4, etc. Eldest leads off by playing a card or set of cards face up in the middle of the table to start a common discard. In turn and in clockwise order, players play a card or set that is equal to or higher in rank than the top card of the discard. If unable or unwilling to do so, they must pick up the discard and add it to their hand cards.
Each player must initially have at least 4 cards in hand at all times; a player who has fewer than 4 after playing to the discard, draws cards from the stock, if possible, to make the hand up to 3 again.
Several cards have special roles:
A player who has no more cards in hand when the stock is empty must play from their upcards. If unable or unwilling to play an upcard, the player must pick up the discard. Once all of the upcards have been played, that player wins. These are played unseen and if the chosen card is lower than the previous card played, the discard must be picked up and, on subsequent turns, the player must play their hand cards before playing any more upcards.