the payback rules

Overal objective

Be the first to get rid of all your cards.

You'll play your hand first, then your face-up cards, then your face-down cards... blindly.

Swap at the start, play equal or higher, and know when to pick up or chance it!

Setup

Dealing the cards

Shuffle the deck and deal each player:

  • 3 face-down cards (don't peek)
  • 3 face-up cards on top.
  • 3 in hand.

Before the start, swap hand cards with face-up cards. Put your best cards face-up. You'll need them later.

Dealing the cards

How to play


Equal or higher

Play a card equal or higher than the top of the pile.

Multiples
You can play multiples of the same card at once.


Four in a row

4 matching cards in a row = BURN! The pile is discarded and you go again. (Play anything).


The number 4

The number 4 is special: it forces the next player to play 4 or lower.


Pick up or Chance it

Can't play? Pick up the entire pile and end your turn... or

"Chance it" by flipping the top card of the deck. If it works, you're safe. If not, you take the pile.

Special cards

Playable anytime.

BURN

BURN

Destroys the pile. Play again.

GHOST

GHOST

Passes your turn without changing the pile value.

SKIP

SKIP

Skips the next player.

RESET

RESET

Resets the pile value to 0. Next player can play anything.

MIRROR

MIRROR

Sends the pile back to whoever acted last (played or picked up). Cannot be yourself.

From your hand to blind cards

Three phases


1. Hand

Play from your hand.
Draw back up to 3 while the deck lasts.
"Chance it" instead of playing a card anytime.
Once the deck is gone and your hand is empty you can play your face-up cards.


2. Face-up

Play your face-up cards. Can't play? Take the pile + your losing card(s) back into your hand → back to Phase 1.

Clear all face-up cards → Phase 3.


3. Blind Cards

Flip your face-down cards one at a time. Pure luck. Fail? Pick up the pile → back to Phase 1. Clear all face-down cards and you're done!

Three phases
eyes on the prize

Winning

Keep playing until only one player is left holding cards. That's the ultimate loser. But don't worry, you can always get Payback.

Winning

Duel mode

Same game, head to head. but with 6 face-up and 6 face-down cards instead of 3, so the hand phase stays shorter.

SKIP
In Duel, Skip makes you play again.

GHOST & MIRROR
In Duel, these send the pile straight to your opponent.

FAQ