How to Play

Sweep is a beloved Sri Lankan fishing card game for 2 to 4 players, related to Indian Seep and Italian Cassino. Capture table cards by matching rank or summing values, score a bonus for each Sweep, and play to 10 points across rounds.

Sweep is a fishing card game widely played across Sri Lanka and other parts of South Asia, closely related to the Indian games Seep and Cassino. Two to four players take turns playing one card from hand to the table, capturing either a single matching-rank card or a combination of table cards that sum to the value of the played card. Clearing every card off the table in a single capture is a Sweep and scores a bonus point. After the deck runs out and the final round of 4-card deals finishes, players count captured cards to resolve four fixed scoring categories: card majority, spade majority, the Ace of Spades, and sweeps. Games typically run to 10 points across several rounds; the game rewards memory, arithmetic, and sharp attention to the table state.

Players

2 to 4 players. With 4 players it is typically played in two partnerships (partners sit across the table), and partners pool their captures for scoring. With 2 or 3 players, everyone plays individually. The first dealer is chosen by high-card draw; the deal rotates anticlockwise after each round, as in most Indian-tradition fishing games.

Card Deck

One standard 52-card French deck, no Jokers. Card values used for capture: Ace = 1, 2-10 = face value, Jack = 11, Queen = 12, King = 13. Face cards (J, Q, K) can only be captured by matching rank, not by summing. Aces can be used at their value of 1 in any summing combination.

Objective

Capture table cards by matching or summing to score the game's four fixed points each round. The first player (or partnership) to reach the agreed match total (commonly 10 points) wins the match.

Setup and Deal

1. Shuffle the 52-card deck thoroughly. The player to the dealer's left cuts.
2. Deal 4 cards face-down to each player and 4 cards face-up to the middle of the table (the initial house).
3. If the middle deal contains three or four face cards, gather the face cards, shuffle them back into the stock, and redeal the middle; this prevents dead-table starts.
4. Place the rest of the deck face-down as the stock for later redeals.
5. Play begins with the player to the dealer's right and proceeds anticlockwise.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, play exactly one card from your hand face-up onto the table.
2. Capture by match: If your played card is the same rank as any table card, you may take your card together with the matching card (and any other identical-rank cards on the table) into a personal capture pile face-down.
3. Capture by sum (number cards only): If your played card's value equals the sum of two or more table cards, you may take all those table cards plus your played card. For example, playing a 9 captures a 6 and a 3 together, or a 5, a 3, and an Ace together.
4. Multiple captures in one turn: You may combine a match capture with a sum capture in the same turn if your played card's value justifies both (for example playing a 9 to capture a single 9 and a (6+3) pair at once).
5. Building (optional house rule, common in partnership play): Instead of capturing, you may combine one or more table cards with your played card into a build announcing the sum. On a later turn you (or your partner) may capture the build with a card of that rank.
6. Sweep (Jhadu/Maari): If your capture takes every card on the table, you score a Sweep point immediately; turn your capturing card face-up sideways in your capture pile to mark it.
7. Trail: If you cannot (or choose not to) capture, leave your played card face-up on the table as a new table card; play passes on.
8. Redeal: When all players have emptied their hands, the dealer deals another 4 cards to each player from the stock with no fresh table cards added, and play continues. This repeats until the stock is exhausted.
9. Last capture rule: The player who makes the final capture of the final deal also takes all remaining cards on the table into their capture pile; this is not counted as a sweep.

Scoring

• At the end of each round (once the stock and all hands are exhausted), count captured cards and score:
• 1 point for the side with the majority of cards (27 or more out of 52).
• 1 point for the side with the majority of spades (7 or more out of 13).
• 1 point for capturing the Ace of Spades.A♠
• 1 point for each Sweep made during the round.
• If the card majority or spade majority is tied, no point is awarded for that category.
• In partnership play, partners pool their captures when counting for majorities.

Winning

Play rounds until one side reaches the agreed match target, typically 10 points. The first side to reach or pass the target at the end of any round wins the match; if two sides both reach it simultaneously (possible across partnership play), the side with the higher score wins, or play one more round to break the tie.

Common Variations

• Partnership Sweep: With 4 players in two teams, partners sit across, pool captures for majorities, and split the scoring; the most common Sri Lankan social form.
• No-Sweep Sweep: The Sweep bonus is dropped to make the game more evenly paced; used for casual family play.
• Build-Sweep: Adds Cassino-style builds, letting a player combine table cards plus one hand card into a named-value build.
• Indian Seep (closely related): Uses similar capturing rules but keeps more elaborate bidding and a 'loose' versus 'tight' sweep distinction.
• Eight-Card Deal: Deal 8 cards initially with no mid-round redeal; shorter game with bigger hands.
• Doubled Ace of Spades: Some groups score 2 points for the Ace of Spades when it is captured as part of a sweep.A♠

Tips and Strategy

• Protect the Ace of Spades. If you hold it, play it only when you can capture with it; if an opponent plays it, capture it at any reasonable cost.A♠
• Watch the spades count. The spade-majority point is often the tipping point; each time a spade hits the table uncaptured, track whether you can grab it later.
• Deny sweeps. Avoid leaving only one or two cards on the table with values that could plausibly be captured by the next player's remaining hand.
• Arithmetic first. Before playing a trail, check every summing combination among table cards; it is easy to miss a three-card sum that would have captured a King's worth of cards.
• Save low cards for builds. Aces, 2s, and 3s are flexible summing pieces; holding them lets you react to new table cards.
• Memorize the discard pile. Late in the round, knowing which high cards remain lets you decide whether to trail a face card (risking an opponent's capture) or to hold it for a matching capture.

Glossary

• Table / House: The shared set of face-up cards in the middle of the table, available for capture.
• Capture: To take one or more table cards together with your played card into your capture pile.
• Match capture: Taking a table card of the same rank as your played card.
• Sum capture: Taking a set of table cards whose values add to your played card's value.
• Build: A combined stack of cards set aside on the table at a declared sum, awaiting capture.
• Trail: Playing a card to the table without capturing, leaving it available.
• Sweep (Jhadu): Capturing every card currently on the table in a single play; worth 1 bonus point.
• Last capture: The final capture of the last deal; the player takes all remaining table cards automatically.