SHANGHAI

Shanghai

Lay books. Build runs. Seven contracts — your house rules, online.

How to play

Contracts on the table. Lowest score wins.

Classic Shanghai is 7 rounds. The host can add bonus rounds (up to 12), and turn on sound or vibrate alerts for each player’s turn.

1. Deal
Each player gets 11 cards. The rest form the stock; one card starts the discard pile.
2. Your turn
Draw from the stock or the top discard. Optionally lay your round contract. Then discard one card. If the stock runs out, the discard pile is shuffled into a new stock (top card stays).
3. Lay the contract
After drawing, tap Auto lay or Lay selected. Once you’re down, play extra cards onto any table meld.
4. Shanghai call
If someone who’s already down discards a card that could play on the table, call Shanghai before the next draw — they draw 2.
5. End the round
Empty your hand after laying your contract. Everyone else scores leftover cards. Lowest total at the end wins.

Melds

Book — 3 cards of the same rank (e.g. three 5s). Jokers can fill.
Run — 4+ cards of the same suit in sequence (e.g. 4♠ 5♠ 6♠ 7♠). Jokers can fill gaps.

Scoring (cards left in hand)

Contracts (host picks 1–12)