How To Play Dwala

Each player is dealt three cards in turn that are placed face down on the table, they are not allowed to be viewed until later. Each player gets another three cards in turn that are placed face up on the three other cards (see illustration).Finally each player is dealt three last cards that can be picked up and viewed. If there are a lot of players, then use several packs of cards. At this stage the players are allowed to swop cards with the ones that are facing up on the table, but only their own cards. The highest cards should be put on the table and the lowest kept on hand (see below for list of card values). The rest of the pack is to be placed on the table face down. Once all the cards are satisfactory then the dealer declares the games started. The game now starts and no more cards are allowed to be swoped.

The order is always clockwise in the begining, starting with the person to the left of the dealer. The first player puts down a card (lowest card is suggested) and picks up from the deck to replace it. The next player then puts down a card that either beats or equals the previously played card. If the player has more than one of the same card in his hand, he may play them all together, but must pick up enough cards after playing to ensure that he has at least three cards in his hand. If the player does not have a card that either beats or equals the previously played card, then he must pick up all the cards that are on that pile (not the cards in the down-faced pile nor the six cards that are on the table belonging to the different players). If the player has more than six cards on hand, then he does not have to pick up after playing, he simply puts down cards until his hand is back to three cards. The player's turn is then over.

The next players repeat as previously explained until the cards are all finished, i.e. the down-faced deck is finished. At this stage, the players have to use up all the cards in their hands. Once this has been done, the player is allowed to use the three up-turned cards that belong to him on the table. He may only use those three, but if he can not play then he must pick up all the cards as mentioned before. He can only proceed to use his cards on the table again onec his hand is empty again. The three down-turned cards are to be left facing down and are only to be used once all the up-turned cards and the cards on hand are finished. When the player need to use them, he has to randomly choose one of the cards, if it is higher or equals the card on the deck, then he can play it, if not then he must pick up as previously mentioned. Once again, he may only use the remaining down-turned cards when the cards on hand are finished.

Once all his cards are gone and he plays his last card successfully, then he has finished. This does not mean that he has won. It does not matter if you come first or second, but if you are the last one left, then you are the loser and thus the Dwala King. Not a title to be proud of.

Trick Cards

Just to make the game a bit more fun, there are some trick cards. These cards are played in the same order as they would be played had they not been trick cards. Here is a list of these cards:
Card What it means
Red Jack Everyone gives their hand of cards to the one on their right
10 All cards that are put down on the deck are removed and taken out of the game.
2 the highest card, but anything can be put on top of a 2.
4 of a kind Putting down 4 of a kind together clears the pack like with a 10.

Rules of the game