How to Play Conquian
How to Play Conquian
Conquian is a fast, thoughtful two-player card game in the rummy family. You build groups and same-suit sequences while trying to meld your cards before your opponent does. You need a normal deck of cards, and you can find a regular deck of playing cards from Playmore. This guide uses one common beginner version; Conquian rules can vary by region or family, so house rules are always worth agreeing on first.
Quick facts
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 |
| Deck | 40 cards: remove all 8s, 9s, and 10s from a standard deck |
| Goal | Be first to meld exactly 11 cards |
| Valid melds | Sets of 3 or 4 matching ranks, or runs of 3 or more in one suit |
| Turn choice | Use the top discard, or turn up the top stock card |
What you are trying to do
Your goal is to place 11 cards face up in valid melds. A meld is a group of cards that follows a pattern. A set contains three or four cards of the same rank, such as three kings in different suits. A run contains at least three cards in order and in the same suit, such as 4, 5, 6 of hearts.
In this version, aces are low, so ace-2-3 works, but queen-king-ace does not. The 7 and jack are treated as consecutive ranks because the 8, 9, and 10 have been removed. That means a run such as 6-7-jack of one suit is allowed. You are not trying to collect points during the hand; you are trying to complete your melds first.
What you need
Use one ordinary 52-card deck. Take out every 8, 9, and 10, leaving 40 cards: ace through 7, plus jack, queen, and king in each suit. You also need a clear table and a way to keep a simple record, such as paper or a notes app, if you plan to play several hands. Choose a dealer by any friendly method. The non-dealer acts first.
Set it up
Shuffle the 40-card deck and deal 10 cards to each player. Deal one card at a time, alternating between players. Put the remaining cards face down in the middle as the stock, which is the draw pile. Leave room beside it for a face-up discard pile.
Look at your cards and arrange them so possible sets and runs are easy to spot. Do not put cards on the table yet. Melds are normally made during a turn when you take or turn up a card.
How to play
- Start with the stock. The non-dealer turns the top stock card face up. That card is not tucked into the player's hand. It must be used immediately in a meld or placed face up in the discard pile.
- Make a meld if you can. To use the face-up card, combine it with cards from your hand to make a legal set or run. You may also place other complete melds from your hand during the same turn. You may not keep the face-up card for later.
- Discard when required. After taking and melding a card, place one unwanted card face up on the discard pile. You do not discard if that meld has just brought your total to exactly 11 cards. The discard ends your turn.
- Choose the discard or the stock. On later turns, first consider the top card of the discard pile. If you take it, you must immediately include it in a meld, then discard one card unless you have reached 11. If you cannot or do not want to use it, turn up the top card of the stock and immediately meld it or discard it.
- Keep every table group legal. You may rearrange your own melds when a new card helps. For example, if a run contains 5-6-7 of one suit and you can move the 7 to a set of sevens, the remaining 5-6 is too short, so that change is not legal. Every run must still have at least three cards, and every set must still have three or four matching ranks.
- Allow an opponent to require a useful addition. If a face-up card can be added directly to one of your existing melds without needing another card from your hand, your opponent may require you to use it there. You then discard as usual. This rule prevents a player from refusing an obvious extension of a meld.
- Continue alternating turns. Players keep taking the top discard or revealing a stock card, melding it immediately, and discarding when necessary. Cards in your melds stay face up and separate from your opponent's melds; you cannot add your cards to the other player's groups.
How you win
You win as soon as you have melded exactly 11 cards. The final card must enter a legal meld, so simply emptying your hand is not enough. A player who has melded 10 cards still needs one more card that can be used immediately. If the stock runs out before either player reaches 11, the hand is a draw. If you keep score across hands, agree beforehand how you want to mark a drawn hand.
Easy first-game tips
Start by sorting your hand by suit, then look for short runs and matching ranks. A run is often easier to grow because a missing neighboring card may appear in the stock or discard pile. Still, do not reveal a useful plan too quickly: a discard that completes your opponent's set or run can help them more than it helps you.
Before every turn, ask two questions: “What can this face-up card become right now?” and “What card can I safely discard?” Remember that a card you reject may remain available to the other player only according to your agreed version of the rules; in this beginner version, the next player gets the usual first choice. Keep your melds tidy, count them often, and avoid breaking a legal group unless the new arrangement leaves every group valid.
Quick questions
Can I draw a card and keep it in my hand?
No. A card turned up from the stock, or taken from the discard pile, must be used immediately in a meld. If you cannot use a stock card, discard it.
Can I win with ten melded cards and no cards in hand?
No. The winning target is exactly 11 melded cards. You must continue until one more card can join a legal meld.