Kings in the Corner – Rules
Play Kings in the Corner against the computer
1. Quick overview
| Name | Kings in the Corner (also: Kings Corner) |
| Game type | Family building game |
| Players | 2–4 |
| Recommended age | 7 and up |
| Duration | one round 10–15 minutes |
| Material | 52 cards, paper and pencil |
| Goal | Be the first to play all your hand cards. |
| Difficulty | easy |
What is it about? Four cards lie in a cross around the stock, the four corners are empty. On your turn you draw a card and then play as many as you can: descending and alternating red/black – as in Klondike. Kings go into the corners.
2. Cards and material
- Deck: 52 French cards.
- Ranking: A, 2 … 10, J, Q, K.
- Paper and pencil for the penalty points.
3. Setup and start
- Shuffle and give everyone 7 cards.
- Put the rest in the middle as the stock and turn the top four cards face up into the cross.
- If a King lands in the cross, it goes into a corner and the space is refilled.
- The player to the dealer’s left starts.
4. Goal and winning
- Round won: Whoever has no cards left first.
- Game: After the agreed number of rounds, the player with the fewest penalty points wins.
5. Play in detail
- Draw: At the start of your turn draw a card from the stock.
- Play: Place any number of cards on piles: one rank lower and of the other colour (red on black, black on red).
- Kings: may only go into a free corner.
- Moving piles: A whole cross pile may be moved onto another pile if its bottom card fits there.
- Empty space in the cross: Any card except a King may go there.
- End of turn: When you cannot or do not want to play any more, it is the next player’s turn.
Example. You draw the 8 of hearts and put it on the 9 of spades at the top. On the right lies the 7 of clubs – it fits the 8 of hearts, so you move the right pile up. The right space is free, and you place your 10 of diamonds there.
6. Scoring
| Card in hand at the end of the round | Penalty points |
|---|---|
| King | 10 |
| any other card | 1 |
The round winner scores no penalty points.
7. Special rules and important situations
- Stock empty: Play continues without drawing.
- Nobody can go on: If the stock is empty and nobody can play, the round ends.
- Corners: On a King in a corner you keep building as usual (Queen of the other colour etc.).
8. Variants
| Variant | What changes? | For whom? |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 25 points | Whoever reaches 25 penalty points is out. | Longer game |
| Draw only when needed | Draw only if you cannot play. | Faster game |
| Two decks | For more players. | Large groups |
On cardgames.zone you play against 1–3 computer opponents or online with friends, over 1, 3 or 5 rounds.
9. Tips for beginners
- Get rid of Kings: They cost 10 penalty points.
- Merge piles: This creates free spaces for your cards.
- High cards on free spaces: Much can be built on them.
10. Summary in 10 steps
- Everyone gets 7 cards.
- Four cards face up in the cross.
- Kings in the cross go straight into the corners.
- Draw a card at the start of your turn.
- Build down, alternating red/black.
- Kings only into free corners.
- Whole piles may be moved.
- Fill free cross spaces with any card.
- Whoever has no cards left wins the round.
- Count penalty points: King 10, others 1.
11. Frequently asked questions
Do I have to play if I can?
No, you may end your turn at any time.
May I put a King on a free space in the cross?
No, Kings belong in the corners.
Origin & history
Kings in the Corner is an American family game from the mid-20th century. It combines the building rules of Klondike with a race: whoever gets rid of all their cards first wins.