How to Play

An Israeli shedding game where players race to drop their hand total to 7 or less and call Yaniv; but an opponent with an equal or lower total can call Assaf for a 30-point reversal.

Yaniv is an Israeli shedding game of nerves and arithmetic, wildly popular with backpackers and young Israelis worldwide. Each player tries to get their hand total down to 7 or less and then calls 'Yaniv' to end the round. But any opponent whose hand ties or beats yours can call 'Assaf' in response; and that reverses the round, saddling the original caller with 30 penalty points. Over several rounds the penalties accumulate, and the first player to cross 200 is eliminated until only one survivor remains.

Players

Yaniv is typically played by 2 to 5 players. It also works for 6 or 7 with a second deck added. The game plays fastest with 3 or 4 players; with 2 it becomes a tight duel, and with 5 or more it becomes a tense scramble for low hands.

Card Deck

Use a standard 52-card French-suited deck plus 2 Jokers (54 cards). Card point values are: Ace = 1, 2-10 = face value, Jack/Queen/King = 10 each, Joker = 0. The Joker is the best card in the game because it is worth 0 points and is wild.

Objective

Be the round's winner by reducing your hand total to 7 or less, then calling 'Yaniv!' before any opponent; without being countered by an 'Assaf.' Across the match, accumulate as few penalty points as possible. Players reach a penalty threshold are eliminated, and the last player standing wins the match.

Setup and Deal

1. Agree on the Yaniv threshold (standard is 7; some groups play 5 for harder, 9 for softer).
2. Choose a dealer by any method. The deal rotates clockwise each round.
3. Deal 5 cards to each player, one at a time, clockwise, face down.
4. Place the remaining deck face down in the centre as the stock.
5. Turn the top card of the stock face-up beside it to start the discard pile.
6. The player to the dealer's left takes the first turn.

Valid Discards

• Single card: Any one card from your hand.
• Set: Two, three, or four cards of the same rank (e.g., three 8s).
• Run: Three or more consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g., 4♠ 5♠ 6♠). Aces count as low only (A-2-3 is legal; Q-K-A is not).4♠5♠6♠
• Run with Joker: A Joker may substitute for any one missing card inside a run or complete a set.
• You may not discard a different combination, such as two non-matching cards or a run of mixed suits.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, first discard a single card, a set, or a run to the top of the discard pile. You must discard something (you cannot pass unless you are calling Yaniv).
2. Then draw one card to replace what you played. You may take the top card of the stock (unseen) or a card from the previous player's most recent discard. If the previous player discarded a set, you may take any one card from it; if they discarded a run, you may only take the first or last card of the run.
3. Calling Yaniv: Instead of discarding and drawing, at the start of your turn, if your current hand total (summing the card values) is equal to or less than the agreed Yaniv threshold (default 7), you may call 'Yaniv!'. Play stops and all players reveal their hands.
4. Assaf counter: If any other player's hand total is equal to or lower than the Yaniv caller's total, that player calls 'Assaf!'. The original caller is penalised 30 points plus their own hand total; the successful Assaf-caller scores 0 for the round.
5. Tiebreakers: If two Assaf-callers tie, both receive 0 for the round; if the caller ties an opponent, the opponent wins the Assaf.

Scoring

• Round winner (successful Yaniv or Assaf): Scores 0 for the round.
• All other players: Score penalty points equal to the sum of card values left in their hand.
• Failed Yaniv (got Assaf'd): The original caller scores 30 penalty points plus their own hand total.
• Milestone relief: If your running total lands on exactly 50 or exactly 100 after a round, it is cut in half (to 25 or 50 respectively). Landing exactly on those totals is a relief; going over without landing is not.
• Elimination: A player whose total exceeds the match cap (commonly 200 points) is eliminated from the match. Last player standing wins.

Winning

The round is won by whoever calls Yaniv successfully, or by whoever calls Assaf if the Yaniv caller is overturned. The match is won by the last player not eliminated once the agreed match cap is reached by all other players (typically 200 points). A match usually runs 6 to 15 rounds.

Common Variations

• Yaniv 5: Threshold lowered to 5 for a more punishing variant; common in advanced play.
• No Assaf: Remove the Assaf counter entirely for family play with children. Much gentler pacing.
• Slapdown: If after your draw your hand has dropped to 0 thanks to the drawn card, you may 'slap' the table immediately and end the round without a formal Yaniv call, scoring 0.
• Double Joker: Use 4 Jokers instead of 2, making low hands easier but trivialising late-game strategy.
• Milestone steal: Landing on exactly 50 or 100 not only halves your score but forces the player currently in the lead to add 30 points.

Tips and Strategy

• Prioritise shedding 10-point cards (J/Q/K) before anything else. A single unplayed King is worth the same as ten 1s.
• Set and run discards get rid of multiple high cards at once. Waiting to build a three-card run is often better than discarding high cards singly.
• Never call Yaniv if an opponent has just drawn from the discard pile; their hand likely just improved.
• When drawing from the discard, take the lowest end card or the card that completes a set or run in your hand. Do not take a high card unless it is the only way to kill a combination in your hand.
• Track how many cards each opponent is holding. An opponent with only 2 cards and a low-value discard history is a serious Assaf threat.
• If you are close to 50 or 100 penalty points, play for the milestone: deliberately scoring a small amount this round to land exactly on 50 can save you 25 points.

Glossary

• Yaniv: The call to end the round when your hand totals at or below the threshold (usually 7).
• Assaf: The counter-call by an opponent whose hand equals or beats the Yaniv caller's.
• Stock: The face-down draw pile in the centre of the table.
• Discard pile: The face-up pile of cards played during the round.
• Set: Two or more cards of the same rank.
• Run: Three or more consecutive cards of the same suit.
• Milestone: Reaching exactly 50 or 100 penalty points, which halves your total.
• Slapdown (variant): Ending the round by slapping the table when your hand drops to 0 after a draw.