Players: 3 to 5 players. Works best and usually played with 4 players (with 13 cards each).
Cards: Standard deck of 52 cards.
Ranking: 2 (high) A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 (low).
Suits: spades (high) hearts clubs diamonds (low).
Object: To get rid of your cards as soon as possible.
Deal: Dealer deals cards, one at a time, starting with the player to his left, going clockwise, until all the cards have been dealt.
Some deal the cards, starting to the player to his right, going counter-clockwise until all the cards have been dealt.

Play: Player with the 3 of diamonds starts the game. The next player must put something higher than the previous play with the same number of cards from the previous play (A 4 of clubs beats a 3 of diamonds, but does not beat a pair of red 3's. Nor can a pair of black 4's beat a 3 of diamonds. Also, when pairs of the same denomination are played next to each other, the one with the spade prevails. Example: 9 of clubs-9 of hearts pair have been played. If the next player to play has the other 2 9's (ie, 9 of spades and 9 of diamonds, he can play that, because of the 'spade rule.'). Now, if someone plays a pair of 9's of which one of the cards is a spade, then the next player has to play at least a pair of 10's to beat this pair of 9's) or he must pass. Passing does not bar him from playing next time up. Play continues until everyone passes. The player who was the last to get rid of all his cards gets to start play with anything he chooses next hand.

Big Two Strategy