Sevens – Rules
Play Sevens against the computer
1. Overview
| Name | Sevens (also: Domino, Fan Tan, Shichinarabe) |
| Type | Building game – get rid of your cards |
| Players | 3 to 8, best with 4 to 6 |
| Recommended age | 6 and up |
| Playing time | one hand 5–10 minutes |
| Material | 52 cards, counters (optional) |
| Goal | Be first to play all your cards onto the rows on the table. |
| Difficulty | easy |
What is it about? Sevens is played in many countries – in Japan as “Shichinarabe”, in England as “Sevens” or “Fan Tan”. Starting from the sevens, everyone builds the rows up and down. Whoever can't play must pass. The tactics lie in when to open a row – and when to block it for the others.
2. Cards and material
- Pack: 52 French cards without jokers.
- Order: A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K. The ace is the bottom end, the king the top.
- Suits: Each suit forms its own row.
- Counters (optional): For passing and the pot.
- Face up and face down: Hand cards concealed, the rows on the table face up.
3. Preparation and start
- Shuffle: The dealer shuffles.
- Deal: All cards are dealt one at a time. Some players may get one card more – that's fine.
- Start: Whoever holds the 7 of diamonds places it in the middle. Then play continues clockwise.
- Pot (optional): Everyone puts one counter in the middle.
Start example: Player 3 holds the 7 of diamonds and places it. Player 4 sits to Player 3's left and goes next.
4. Goal and winning
- Hand: The first to play all cards wins the hand.
- With a pot: The winner takes the pot; the others often pay one counter per card left.
- Several hands: Hands won (or counters) are added up.
5. Play in detail
A turn. Play one fitting card:
- a seven to open a new row, or
- the next card below a row (e.g. the 6 of diamonds next to the 7 of diamonds), or
- the next card above a row (e.g. the 8 of diamonds next to the 7 of diamonds).
Passing.
- If you can't play any card, you pass (with a pot: pay one counter).
- Under the basic rule you must play if you can.
Example with Players 1 to 4. Order: Player 3, 4, 1, 2.
- Player 3 plays the 7 of diamonds.
- Player 4 plays the 8 of diamonds.
- Player 1 holds the 7 of hearts and the 6 of diamonds. He plays the 7 of hearts and opens a new row.
- Player 2 has no seven and none of the 5 or 9 of diamonds or 6 or 8 of hearts. He must pass.
- Player 3 plays the 9 of diamonds. Player 4 plays the 8 of hearts. Player 1 plays the 6 of diamonds.
6. Scoring
| Result | Scoring |
|---|---|
| First without cards | wins the hand (and the pot) |
| Passing (with counters) | 1 counter into the pot |
| Cards left at the end (variant) | 1 counter per card to the winner |
- Placing points (variant): Everyone plays on until all are finished; first place gets the most points, last place none.
7. Special rules and situations
- Must play: If you can play, you must. Passing when you could play costs a penalty (e.g. three counters).
- Free passes (Shichinarabe): In Japan everyone may pass three times freely, even if they could play. Whoever would have to pass a fourth time is out; their cards are placed on the rows.
- Uneven hands: Having one card more is a little unlucky – it evens out over several hands.
- Blocking: Holding back a seven or a key card blocks the others. That's allowed as long as you can play another card.
- Common mistakes: playing sevens too early and opening rows for others; keeping the ends (ace, king) too long.
8. Variants
Standard in this description: the 7 of diamonds starts, you must play if you can, the first to run out of cards wins.
| Variant | What changes | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Shichinarabe | All sevens are laid out at the start; everyone may pass three times freely. | Japan, tactical groups |
| Fan Tan with counters | One counter into the pot for each pass. | game nights |
| Ace high or low | At the end of a row the ace may be played next to the king. | a change |
| Two packs | For 8 or more players. | large groups |
When playing against the computer on cardgames.zone either all four sevens are laid out at the start (Shichinarabe) or the 7 of diamonds begins. You can pass three times freely or only when you can't play. You play 3, 5 or 8 hands with placing points.
9. Tips for beginners
- Hold back sevens: A seven opens a row for everyone – play it when you hold many cards of that suit.
- Key cards: A 6 or 8 blocks a whole half of a row.
- Free the ends early: Aces and kings can only be played at the very end – make sure their rows grow.
- Use long suits: Open rows in which you hold many cards yourself.
- Watch others: Whoever passes lacks the cards needed.
- Use free passes wisely: In the Japanese variant the three passes are valuable – don't spend them too early.
- Don't block too early: Blocking only helps if you still have alternatives.
10. Summary in 10 steps
- 52 cards, all are dealt.
- The 7 of diamonds starts in the middle.
- Each suit forms a row from A to K.
- A seven opens a new row.
- Build down (6, 5 …) or up (8, 9 …) from a row.
- Always only the next card of the row.
- If you can play, you must.
- If you can't, pass (counter into the pot).
- Turns go clockwise.
- The first to run out of cards wins.
11. Frequently asked questions
Must I play if I can?
Under the basic rule yes. In the Japanese variant you may pass three times voluntarily.
May I hold back a seven?
Yes, as long as you can play another card.
Who starts?
Whoever holds the 7 of diamonds. In Shichinarabe all sevens are already out, and the holder of the 7 of diamonds makes the first move.
What if nobody can play?
That can't happen while cards are still in play – someone always holds the next card.
How many can play?
Three to eight; with two packs even more.
How long does a hand take?
Five to ten minutes.
Origin & history
Sevens (also Fan Tan or Card Dominoes) is a simple layout game played in many countries under their own names. In Japan Shichinarabe is one of the best-known family games with Western cards.