Are you looking for a fun family card game with unique gameplay? The five crowns card game might be one of the best choices to play with family or friends.
The Five Crowns game resembles a rummy card game designed for 1 to 7 players, in which players make card combinations using three or more cards. Let’s learn how to play 5 Crowns rules and gameplay with the basic 5 Crowns rules for scoring and winning the game.
How to Play Five Crowns Card Game
The Objective
The objective of the Five Crowns Card game is to maintain the lowest score till the end of the eleventh hand of the game. You must form valid sets of runs and books in the game while avoiding any ungrouped cards that might add some additional score to your hand.
The Deal
The deal in the Five Crowns card game consists of the following process:
- Shuffle both decks of cards in the game. In the first round, deal 3 cards one at a time.
- The game advances in a clockwise direction.
- Each player gets 3 cards in the first round and 4 cards in the second round. The number of cards in each deal increases by one card per round, up to 13 cards in the last round.
- Place the remaining cards in the discard pile at the center of the table, with the top card placed face-up on the pile.
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Game Setup
The Five Crowns card game consists of a unique deck of 116 cards with over five suits. Apart from the four traditional suits, there is an extra suit, i.e., the star suit.
Each suit is formed by cards numbered between 3 and 10, three face cards (Jack, Queen, and King), and special wild cards.
- The dealer is chosen first in the game.
- Each Player is dealt with 3 cards each after shuffling the cards.
- Each suit has 3 numbered cards: a Jack, a Queen, and a King
- The wild card is equal to the number of cards in your hand. For the first round, 3s are considered wild cards.
Number of Players
The 5 Crowns Card game is played with 1-7 players at a time, all above 8 years of age.
Gameplay
The Five Crowns card game is divided into several turns in the gameplay. All cards in both decks are shuffled before each round of the game. Each player plays the final round with thirteen cards.
- Players can choose either from the top card of the draw pile or the top card of the discard pile.
- The player’s objective begins with making valid sets and books in the game.
- A valid set or book is made using 3 or more cards of the same rank and same suit. For example, 7♠, 7♥, 7★ You can use any number of jokers or wild cards in the book.
- A valid run consists of 3 or more consecutive cards in the same suit. For example, 5♥, 6♥, 7♥ forms a valid book combination.
- The game advances in the clockwise direction.
- Before taking a card from a pile, you must look into your hand to know what you need to complete a run or book.
- The game has wild cards, which depend on the current round number. You can substitute as many wild cards as you can for any cards in the game.
- After discarding a card, you can check whether the remaining cards still form run or book. If they do, you can go out laying your cards face up in front of the opponent.
- End your turn by discarding one card onto the discard pile from your hand.
- A player can choose to go out when all cards are part of sets or books except for one card, which is not a part of the pair. The unmatched card can be discarded.
- If you have a Joker or Wild Card in your hand that has no use in making a run or book, discard it. These cards might increase your points in the end round of the game.
- After someone goes out in the game, players take one final turn to improve their hands.
Books and Runs in Five Crowns Card Game
The Books and Runs are formed using three or more card combinations in the 5 crowns card game.
Books
The Books combination consists of three or more cards having the same value regardless of the suit. For example, 10★, 10★, 10♣, and 10♦. The cards in the book can be replaced using any wild card of the round. For example, if nines are wild cards in the game 5♦, 5★, 9♣, 5♣, then this still forms books.
Runs
A run consists of a sequence of three or more cards from the same suit. For example, 4♦, 5♦, 6♦, 7♦, 8♦. Any cards in the Run can also be replaced by the wild card of the round. If tens are wild cards, you can form runs using 3★, 4★, 10♣, 5★.
Decks
The game consists of 58 card decks (116 cards overall). Each deck consists of five suits in the game. Each suit has eleven cards 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, a Jack, a Queen, and King. Each game consists of six jokers. Jokers are always wild cards in the game.
| Round Number | Cards Dealt to Each Player | Wild Card Number |
| 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 3 | 5 | 5 |
| 4 | 6 | 6 |
| 5 | 7 | 7 |
| 6 | 8 | 8 |
| 7 | 9 | 9 |
| 8 | 10 | 10 |
| 9 | 11 | Jack |
| 10 | 12 | Queen |
| 11 | 13 | King |
Five Crowns Game Scoring
The card values in the Five Crowns Card Game are mentioned below. Here’s how you can calculate your score at the end of the game.
The game consists of a deck of 116 cards having five suits ♠), Clubs (♣), Hearts (♥), Diamonds (♦), and Stars (★). Each suit has 11 cards in the deck from 3 through 10, Jack, Queen and King.
Jokers are always wild cards which change every round in the game. The rotating wild cards are based on the number of cards dealt in the round.
Let us suppose it is the 4th round of the game and as per the current hand the wild card is all fours in the game.
The player’s hand in the game can be 3♠, 4♣ (wild), or 5♠, where 4 is a valid substitute for forming the run combination. The unused cards in the game are considered for scoring. There are no leftovers in this hand, so the score for this hand is zero.
Card Values in 5 Crowns Card Game
Each number card in the game is worth the face value mentioned on the card. Jack is worth 11 points, Queens are worth 12 points, and Kings are worth 13 points. Jokers carry the highest point in the game, worth 50 points, and the current wild cards hold 20 points.
The game continues until the eleventh round, when each player is dealt 13 cards, and the kings go wild.
5 Crowns Card Game Rules
Here are the essential 5 Crowns card game rules to achieve the lowest score while making runs and book combinations.
- The 5 Crowns card game consists of 11 rounds, starting with 3 cards in the first round and increasing by one card per round. At the end of each round, there must be 13 cards.
- Cards in the discard pile cannot be used again during gameplay.
- Deal all cards clockwise and the remaining cards in the draw pile.
- Shuffle all cards and deal out 11 piles of cards in the horizontal row.
- Place 3 cards in the leftmost pile and 4 cards in the next pile. Keep adding one card in every round so the rightmost pile consists of 13 cards in the deck.
- Play the top of the discard pile deck and take one card from it. Try to form a run or book. Choose a card from the pile and discard it from the hand.
- Cards placed in the discard pile cannot be used again.
- Flip the cards face down when all cards in a pile contain a run or book of the same value.
- If you can close out all the piles and still have cards left in the deck, you win the game. However, if the deck runs before you flip all the piles, you lose.
Going Out
Start your turn with the usual hand and lay down all your hands, made of runs or books, on the table in front of you. Discard the last cards and keep the combinations face up in front of your opponent. You must have one card left in the discard, which can be a playable card.
Other players get more turns once a player goes out of the game. Start your last turn as normal, but lay down all books and runs before discarding. All unused cards in the game will contribute to your overall score.
Winning 5 Crowns Card Game
The player with the lowest total points after the 11th round wins the game. Add all the points together until the last round, and the player with the lowest score is the winner of the game.
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FAQs
How do you play 5 crowns?
The Five Cards Crown game is played with a deck of 58 cards. All hand cards must be used to form runs and book combinations. The player with the lowest score at the end of the 11th round wins the game.
How many people play Five Crowns?
The Five Crowns card game can be played with 1 to 7 players at a time. One session takes about 45 minutes to complete.
Is Five Crowns the same as rummy?
The Five Crowns game resembles rummy in some aspects as it also forms a combination similar to sets and runs in the game. It uses a double deck with five suits in the game. It also includes wild cards that change every round.
What is the breakdown of the 5 Crowns cards?
The numbered cards in the 5 Crowns card game are worth their face value. Jacks are worth 11 points, queens are worth 12 points, kings are worth 13 points, and Jokers are 50 points in the game. The wild cards in each round of the game are worth 20 points.
How do you play 5 card games?
The Five Crown card game is played with players who take one card from the draw pile or discard pile. The player uses three or more cards to form a run or book combination. The wild cards can be used for any card combination in the game. At the end of the rounds, the player with the lowest score wins the game.
What are the rules for the card game Five Crowns?
The 5 Crown card game rules are simple and easy to understand and learn.
- The game begins with shuffling the cards and dealing out 11 piles of cards from the row.
- Place 3 cards in the leftmost pile and keep increasing until the rightmost pile has 13 cards. Keep the deck face down next to you.
- Play the top card from the draw pile and choose one of the cards to form runs or book combinations.
- Cards in the discard pile cannot be used again during gameplay.
- Flip a pile if it contains only a run or book combination. Keep them face down.
- If you have cards left in the deck after flipping all the cards, then you win the game.
- If your deck runs out before flipping over all the cards in the piles, you lose.
How to keep score for 5 Crowns?
The scorekeeper or the dealer keeps the record of each player in the 5 Crowns card game. The cards’ total value is calculated using card values, wild cards, and the winning score. The player with the lowest score wins the game.
How to win at 5 crowns?
The player with the lowest score at the end of the eleventh hand in the game wins. Players must make runs and books combinations, and discard unused cards in the game.
Do you shuffle every round in Five Crowns?
Every card is shuffled before the game starts. A game of five crowns consists of eleven hands round. Each round adds one card hand in the game. Before each hand is dealt, all cards are shuffled together.
How to keep score in Five Crowns?
The score in the 5 crowns card game is calculated using the remaining cards left unused in the game. The scorekeeper keeps the tally and records the points.
What are the card values in Five Crowns?
The value of the numbered cards in the game is based on their face value. All other cards consist of three jokers and five suits in the game. Jacks are worth 11 points, Queens are worth 12 points, Kings are worth 13 points, Jokers are worth 50 points, and current wild cards are worth 20 points.
What are the hands for 5 crowns?
The hands of 5 crowns card game are made of books and runs formed by combining three or more cards of the same or different suits.
