How to Play

A 2-player combat card game with a standard 52-card deck. Number cards score points or trigger one-off effects; face cards are persistent royals (Jack steals, Queen protects, King lowers the win target).

Cuttle is a 2-player combat card game for a standard 52-card deck in which every rank has a distinct role and every turn is a commitment. Number cards (Ace through 10) can be played three ways: face up in front of you as points, as a scuttle (playing a higher number on top of an opponent's point card to blow it up), or for a one-off effect (the rank's special power, after which the card is discarded). Face cards are persistent royals that stay in play until destroyed: Jacks steal an opponent's point card, Queens protect all your cards from targeted effects, and Kings lower the point total you need to win. The game has a sliding target: 21 points without any Kings in play on your side, 14 with one, 10 with two, and 7 with three. Cuttle is sometimes called 'the Magic: The Gathering of the standard deck' because its interlocking combat-and-resource structure is unusually deep for a game using only 52 cards. It is a popular online 2-player free-cards game hosted at cuttle.cards.

Players

Exactly 2 players. A typical match lasts 10 to 20 minutes. Deal rotates after each complete match. Some communities play 'best of three' or 'first to three match wins' for tournament structure.

Card Deck

One standard 52-card French-suited pack, jokers removed. Suits are largely irrelevant; only rank matters, except that suit breaks ties in scuttles (higher suit wins same-rank scuttles, in the order Spades highest, then Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs in most community rule sets; alternative orderings exist). Card ranking for scuttle height: A (1), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Face cards do not participate in scuttles; they are royals with distinct effects.

Objective

Reach the active point target with the face-up points in front of you. The target depends on how many Kings you have in play: 0 Kings = 21 points, 1 King = 14, 2 Kings = 10, 3 Kings = 7. A fourth King is a game-ending win on play (though this is rare). The game may also end in a stalemate if the deck is exhausted and neither player can progress.

Setup

1. Shuffle the 52-card deck thoroughly.
2. Deal 5 cards face down to the non-dealer and 6 cards face down to the dealer. The dealer's extra card compensates for the non-dealer playing first.
3. Place the remaining 41 cards face down between the players as the deck.
4. Set aside a space for the scrap pile (the discard pile; scuttle victims and used one-offs go here).
5. The non-dealer takes the first turn. No hand size limits apply; you can accumulate any number of cards.

Gameplay

1. One action per turn: On your turn, perform exactly one of: (1) draw one card from the deck, (2) play a number card for points (place face up in your point row), (3) scuttle an opponent's point card with a higher number card, (4) play a royal (face card) for its permanent effect, or (5) play a number card as a one-off for its rank's effect, then send it to the scrap. You cannot combine actions.
2. Scuttle rules: Play a number card whose rank is strictly higher than the target opponent point card. Both your card and the target card go to the scrap. Same-rank scuttles are allowed only in suit-tiebreak house rules; most online rule sets require strictly higher rank.
3. One-off effects by rank: A = wipe all point cards from play (both sides, to scrap). 2 = counter any one-off or destroy a target royal (Jack or King). 3 = resurrect: pull any one card from the scrap pile into your hand. 4 = opponent must discard 2 cards of their choice to the scrap. 5 = draw 2 cards from the deck. 6 = destroy all royals in play (both sides). 7 = reveal and play the top of the deck immediately as any action. 8 = 'Glasses': your hand remains face up on the table until another 8 is played. 9 = flip a point or royal card face down back into opponent's hand. 10 = opponent must discard one card of their choice from their hand.
4. Royals (face cards, persistent): Jack = steal one of opponent's point cards and add it to your point row. Queen = protect all your cards from targeted one-offs (2s, 9s) and from scuttles (opponent cannot scuttle you while a Queen is in play on your side). King = each King on your side lowers your win target (see Objective). Only one Queen can be in play per side at a time, but multiple Kings stack.
5. Countering: A 2 played during an opponent's one-off cancels that effect (both the counter and the original one-off go to scrap). 2s can themselves be countered by another 2.
6. End of deck: When the deck is empty, continue playing normally with your current hand. When you cannot legally play, your turn ends without action.

Scoring

• Point cards: Numbered cards (A-10) played face up in front of you score their face value. Ace = 1 point. Number cards = face value.
• Face cards: Royals (J, Q, K) are worth 0 points; they have effects, not values.
• Winning score: 0 Kings in your play area = win at 21 points or more; 1 King = 14+; 2 Kings = 10+; 3 Kings = 7+; 4 Kings = automatic win.
• When does the win trigger? The win check happens at the end of any action where your point total reaches the target. If you drop below the target later (e.g. opponent scuttles a point card), you are no longer at the win condition.
• Draw / stalemate: If the deck is exhausted and no legal progression is possible (both players pass), the game ends in a draw.

Winning

You win instantly when, at the end of one of your actions, your visible points meet or exceed your current target (adjusted for Kings on your side). The win is checked at the end of the action, so scuttling an opponent's 10 with your own 7 to clear their board while pushing yourself above target is a valid winning play. The 4-King win is automatic but extremely rare given the 4 Kings in the deck and the variety of 6 (kill all royals) and 2 (target royal) counters.

Common Variations

• Quick Cuttle: Target 15 points (no Kings) for shorter games.
• Open Cuttle: Both players play with hands face up for pure-strategy teaching games.
• No-discard 4s: House rule where 4s force a draw for the opponent instead of a discard. Changes the tempo significantly.
• Tournament scoring: Best-of-three or first-to-three match wins for competitive play.
• Cuttle.cards (online): Standardised online rule set with strict suit ordering for same-rank scuttles and visible-scrap-pile enforcement.
• Sudden Death: If the deck runs out, any player reaching the target on their next complete turn wins; otherwise draw.

Tips and Strategy

• Hold at least one 2 in hand at all times. A 2 is the only counter in the game and the only way to stop a catastrophic Ace (wipes all points) or an opponent's Queen.
• Play points in ascending order. An early 10 is a big target for scuttles; start with 3s, 4s, and 5s so opponent scuttles are cheap for them.
• Do not rush your first Queen. If the opponent has no point cards yet, the Queen is just tempo they can ignore while you slowly build. Play the Queen once you have 10+ visible points.
• Kings are a tempo investment. Each King reduces your target by 7 (21 to 14 to 10 to 7), so 2 Kings plus 10 points in front of you wins immediately. But Kings can be destroyed by 2s and 6s, so do not commit until you can follow up quickly.
• Use 3 (resurrect from scrap) carefully. It lets you retrieve a crucial 2 or 6 that has been used or discarded; consider the whole scrap pile when planning.
• Watch for the 7 (play top of deck). A 7 is a 2-for-1 action; if you draw a high point card or one-off, the 7 becomes stunningly efficient.

Glossary

• Point card: A number card (A-10) played face up in front of you for its face value.
• Scuttle: Playing a higher number card on an opponent's point card, sending both to the scrap.
• Scrap pile: The discard pile. Cards here can be resurrected with a 3 one-off.
• One-off: Playing a number card for its rank's single-use effect, then sending it to the scrap.
• Royal: A face card (Jack, Queen, or King) played for its persistent effect.K♠Q♠J♠
• Jack: Steals one opponent point card on play.J♠
• Queen: Protects your point cards and royals from targeted effects while in play.Q♠
• King: Lowers your win target by 7 each. Up to 3 Kings in play at once (4th triggers an automatic win).K♠
• Counter: Using a 2 during an opponent's one-off to cancel it.
• Target: Your current win score: 21 with 0 Kings, 14 with 1, 10 with 2, 7 with 3.