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Download on Google Play- 2-6 players with a standard 52-card deck.
- Deal all cards evenly. Each player turns up their top card.
- Place Aces in the center as foundations when available.
- Play your face-up card onto any foundation pile, building up from Ace to King.
- Flip a new face-up card after each play. Continue until you cannot play.
- Pass if your face-up card cannot be played.
- No points. First player to empty their cards wins.
Rules
Give Away is a simple shedding card game where players race to get rid of their cards by playing them onto shared foundation piles in the center of the table. Players build up or down on the foundations and the first to empty their hand wins.
Objective
Be the first player to get rid of all your cards by playing them onto the central foundation piles, building sequentially regardless of suit.
Setup
- Players: 2 to 6 players.
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck.
- Deal: Deal the entire deck as evenly as possible to all players. Players hold their cards as a face-down pile and turn up the top card.
Gameplay
- Foundation piles: As Aces become available, they are placed in the center as foundation piles.
- Building: Players take turns playing cards from their face-up card onto any foundation pile, building up in sequence (Ace, 2, 3, ... King) regardless of suit.
- Multiple plays: A player may play as many cards as possible on their turn, flipping a new card from their face-down pile each time they play one.
- Pass: If a player cannot play their face-up card on any foundation, their turn passes to the next player.
- No holding back: Players must play a card if they are able to; they cannot deliberately withhold a playable card.
Winning
- First out: The first player to play all their cards onto the foundations wins.
- Stalemate: If no player can play and all are stuck, the player with the fewest remaining cards wins.
Variations
- Building down: Some versions allow building both up and down on foundations.
- Multiple face-up cards: Players keep a spread of 3-4 face-up cards to choose from instead of just one.
- Competitive Nerts style: Play simultaneously without turns for a faster, more frantic experience.
Tips and Strategies
- Play quickly and attentively so you do not miss opportunities to shed cards.
- Watch the foundations closely for chances to play multiple cards in a row.
- Since you must play if able, focus on flipping through your pile as fast as possible.
Tips & Strategy
Stay alert and play cards the moment they become available. Speed and attention are more important than strategy in this game.
There is minimal strategy since you must play whenever you can. The game rewards alertness and quick card recognition above all else.
Trivia & Fun Facts
Give Away is one of the simplest competitive card games, making it a favorite for very young children learning to play cards for the first time.
Are players allowed to hold back a playable card in Give Away?
History & Culture
Give Away belongs to the large family of competitive patience or shedding games that have been played in households across Europe and America for centuries.
Give Away represents the simplest form of competitive card play, serving as many children's very first card game experience.
Variations & House Rules
Variations include allowing multiple face-up cards per player, playing simultaneously without turns, or allowing both upward and downward building on foundations.
For a more strategic version, allow players to hold a small hand of cards (3-5) so they can choose which to play. For speed, play simultaneously like Nerts.
