Instructions & Strategy

Be the first to complete visible stacks of pairs and runs to score big!
Steal stacks from opponents, make strategic plays, and watch out — discarded cards get inserted (Stacked) right back into the deck, keeping everyone guessing. You’ve never played anything like it.

• 2–8 players (Ages 8+)
• Game length: approximately 60 minutes
   

• 110 cards total:
  • 100 Number Cards (5 colors × 1-10 cards x 2 Sets)
  • 10 Wild Cards
  • 1 Instruction Sheet
     

Be the first player to complete and flip all your stacks in a round.
Each completed stack earns points. The game lasts 10 rounds — the player with the highest total score wins!

1. Shuffle the deck.
2. Deal five cards face up to each player, one at a time.  Player left of the dealer goes first, then play proceeds clockwise.
3. Players line up their five cards face up in a row in front of them, in no particular order, so everyone can see.
4. Place the remaining cards in the center as the draw pile.
    

Players take turns drawing two cards and trying to build stacks of:

• Pairs (two of the same number)
• 3-Card Runs (three consecutive numbers, ascending or descending)
• Same Color Pairs or Same Color Runs Score Extra Points!
   

Runs can go low-to-high or high-to-low but must stay in order.
Players cannot rearrange cards within a stack OR to form new stacks.
Once a stack (pair or run) is complete, flip it over, in place, to lock it in for scoring. (YAY! This Stack Scores!).

1. Draw two cards from the top of the draw pile.
2. You must play at least one of them on your stacks to be allowed to play the second.
3. If one or neither card can be played in your stacks or to steal:
   • Insert one or both cards randomly back into the deck to STACK THE DECK™.
   • Your turn ends. (See STACK THE DECK™ below.)
      

If you play one card successfully in your stacks, you may:

• Play the second card on one of your own stacks, or
• Play it on an opponent’s stack to complete it and steal the stack. (See Stealing.)
   

If you draw two matching cards (a pair), you can:

• Place them together as a new scoring pair, or
• Use them strategically on your existing stacks. (See Scoring.)
   

You can steal any opponent’s stack if your card completes it.

• Place your card on their incomplete stack to finish a pair or 3-card run.  Or ask the table if anyone, for example, has a Red Six, etc.
• Once completed, flip it over and move it in front of you — it’s now yours.
• In the unlikely event a player has all stacks stolen, the round ends and the player who stole the final stack is the first to tally score.  The player who had all stacks stolen scores 0 for the round.
   

WILD Cards cannot be used to steal, AND any stack that includes a Wild Card cannot be stolen.  This is important to know as runs which include a WILD are safe from stealing.  Use this to your advantage!

Use this mechanic to control what happens next!

• To help yourself, place cards you want back soon near the top of the deck.  
• To hurt opponents, bury the cards they need deep in the deck.
• Always pay attention to everyone’s visible cards before placing your discards.
• Discards must be placed at a minimum below the top two cards of the deck.  They CANNOT be placed on top.
   

This mechanic keeps the draw pile constantly randomized and strategic.

There are ten WILD Cards in the deck.
They can represent any number or color in a pair or run.  More than one WILD card can be used to complete a stack.   

When You Draw a WILD:

• Combine it with other card(s) to form a same color pair, or
• Use it as part of a 3-card run.
   

If you draw:

• Two WILDS together: play them as a scoring same color pair or combine them with a single # card to create a SAME COLOR run.  BIG POINTS!
   

WILD Card Rules:

• WILDS cannot be used to steal another player’s stack.
• Stacks containing a WILD Card cannot be stolen.  These are SAFE stacks.
• When using a WILD, you must immediately declare:
  • “Pair” → flip and score immediately, or
  • “Run” → keep it face up to complete later.
     

If you declare a run and fail to complete it before another player goes out, you lose 20 points for each WILD card in the incomplete stack.

When one player finishes (turns over) all their stacks, the round ends.  Scoring starts with the first player to go "Out".  And then move to next player accordingly.

All players total their points as follows:

• Pair = 5 points
• Same Color Pair = 10 Points
• 3-Card Run = 10 points
• Same-Color 3-Card Run = 20 points
• Incomplete Stack = –5 points
• Unused WILD card(s) alone OR in an incomplete stack = –20 points each
   

Record each player’s total. After 10 rounds, the highest score wins!

In the very unlikely event, the deck runs out of playable cards, and no one can complete a stack:

• End the round and score completed stacks only.
• Do not subtract points for incomplete stacks.
• Shuffle and begin the next round.
   

Stalemates are rare — play a few more turns before calling one!

You may think a game as simple as stacking pairs and runs has no strategy — but think again. Here are some tips to get you started. What clever tactics will you discover?

You’ll score more points for a 3-card run than a pair, so choose your stacks wisely and keep an eye on your total score each round. If you’re falling behind, focus on building runs or even same-color runs/pairs for maximum points. 

WILD Cards are powerful for completing runs — especially same-color ones — and any stack with a WILD Card is protected from being stolen.

But remember pairs are faster to complete and safer if someone is close to going out. The question is — is the reward worth the risk?

If you’re the first to finish all your stacks and go out, but still have one card left to play, you can still use it to steal another player’s stack as the final move of the round for extra points.

If you draw two of the same cards, you can flip them over immediately as a new scoring pair or split them up to use in other stacks (look for same color pairs and/or runs) — the choice depends on your situation.

Wild Cards can complete both pairs and runs, so use them strategically for your best point advantage.

Be careful not to start a run with 2–1 or 9–10 — those combinations are unplayable in that direction and will cost you 5 points at the end of the round.

And finally, think before you steal a player’s only remaining stack — that move will immediately end the round!

Good luck and remember to STACK THE DECK™ to victory!