It’s the name of a card game, folks, relax. And by card game I mean it is the most ubiquitous game you will find while traveling. Everyone knows of it, if not by “Shithead,” which is the most common name. Game play remains consistent across countries, but specific rules may vary. I’ll try to include all of the variances I am familiar with, but will avoid talking strategy. Leave that to experience.
Objective: To not lose. Winning doesn’t matter, you just don’t want to lose. Loser is dubbed, “Shithead,” and generally becomes the group’s go-pher until the next game is resolved (optional).
Players: 3-8 (3 is almost too few, 5 is probably optimal, and 8 can get distended)
Cards: 1 regular 52 card deck with 5 or less, 2 otherwise
Set-up:
A) Deal three cards face down to each player. They do not look at them, but simply arrange them side-by-side in front of them
B) Deal three more cards to each player, and place them on top of the previously dealt three
C) Deal three more cards to each player, and these three constitute, “The Hand.”
D) Players now have the option of swapping cards in their hand with the three face up cards, that everyone can see, generally trying to put the best/most useful cards on the face-up piles. Exactly why is explained later.
Playing:
A) Player with the lowest, non-special card goes first. This will be either a 3 or a 4, generally, and whomsoever throws down first goes first.
B) Play then proceeds clockwise, with each player having to play a card (or multiples of one number) that is equal to or higher than the previous card, unless special rules apply. Ace is high card.
C) Every time a player is below three cards, he or she draws a number of cards from the remaining deck that will put them up to three.
D) Play continues like this until the deck is gone. Once the deck is gone, players with no cards in their hand may begin playing from the three face-up cards in front of them.
E) Once all three face up cards have been played, and a player still has no hand, he or she may begin blindly playing the three cards that are face-down in front of them. At this point, luck is fairly significant.
F) If at any time a player cannot play a card, he or she picks up the entire stack of cards, and uses them as his or her hand. Note: players with hands greater than three cards need not draw from the deck until they have less than three cards.
G) The last person with cards remaining loses, and is dubbed, until another game or further notice, “The Shithead.”
Special Cards: Some cards have special rules, or “abilities,” attached to them, as noted herein. Note that not all special card rules need be used, but, generally speaking, 2, 3, 7, and 10 are played as special:
2 – Resets the entire stack, starting at 2. Any card can subsequently be played. A 2 may be played at any time, regardless of what is currently on top of the stack
3 – Invisible. Can be played at any time, on top of any card. The next player has to beat the card beneath the three. Note: if it is another three beneath the three, the next player just has to beat a three.
7 – The next player has to play a card below a 7. 2s, 3s, and 10s may still be played.
8 – Skip. The next player is skipped. Multiple 8s skip multiple people (2 8s skips 2 people, etc.)
10 – Burn. Burns the stack, getting rid of every card currently there, removing them from the game, and allowing the player that used the ten another turn. May be played at any time, on top of any card, including seven.
Jack – Reverse. Switches order of play.
As was mentioned in the Set-up section, players have the option, upon receiving their three face-down, three face-up, and three in-hand cards to swap between the face-up and in-hand cards. Use the above special rules to determine your strategy.
Variant Rules: Optional rules that may but do not have to be used:
Four of a Kind – If at any time there are four cards of a kind on the stack, the stack is burned, all cards in it are removed from play, and the player responsible for completing the Four of a Kind goes again.
Instant Play – Not a rule I like, but I’m non-partisan, honest. Using this rule, if at anytime someone plays a card that you have in your hand, you can instantly lay down said card on top of the stack. Play then resumes as if you had taken your normal turn, not the person who first laid down the card. (Ex. A plays a 4, C has a 4, C plays said 4, play continues with D, skipping B)
Completing a Four of a Kind Instant Play – Akin to the aforementioned rule, this allows a player to instantly play if and only if he or she is able to make a four of a kind. Play then resumes as if the player had in fact finished a four of a kind on his or her normal turn, with them taking another turn. (Ex. A plays two 4s, C has 2 4s, C plays both 4s, burns the stack, takes another turn, and play moves onto D, skipping B)
And that, as they say, is that