Sevens Card Game (Fan Tan): Rules, Strategy and Odds
Sevens, also called Fan Tan, Domino or Card Dominoes, is a card game where players build each suit up and down from its 7, and the first to get rid of all their cards wins. It is easy enough for children who know the order of the cards, yet it has real strategy: which card you hold back can block everyone else.
What You Need
- One standard 52-card deck, without jokers.
- 3 to 8 players; 4 is ideal.
- Optional: counters or chips for the betting version.
How to Play
- Deal. Deal out the whole deck, one card at a time. Some players may get one card more; that is fine.
- Start. The player holding the 7 of diamonds plays it face up in the middle. (Some families start with the 7 of hearts.)
- Build. Going left, each player must play one card if they can: another 7 to start a new suit row, or a card next in sequence on a row already started, such as the 6 or 8 of diamonds next to the 7.
- Rows grow both ways. Each suit is built down from 7 to the ace and up from 7 to the king.
- Cannot play? Say "pass" (or knock). In the betting version, you put a chip in the pot. If you can play, you must.
- Winning. The first player with no cards left wins (and takes the pot).
The Odds of the Deal
Sevens are the key cards: you can only open a new suit with one. These are exact figures for a random deal of the whole deck:
| Players | Cards each | At least one 7 | Starting 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 17 | 81% | 33% |
| 4 | 13 | 70% | 25% |
| 5 | 10 | 59% | 20% |
| 6 | 8 | 50% | 17% |
So with 4 players you hold at least one 7 in about 7 deals out of 10, and you start the game one time in four.
Strategy: Block, Then Release
- Hold back 7s you do not need. If you hold the 7 of spades but few other spades, keeping it locks the whole spade row for everyone else.
- Play toward your long runs. If you hold the 8, 9 and 10 of hearts, opening hearts helps you more than anyone.
- Keep your 6s and 8s as gates. A 6 or 8 controls everything beyond it. Release them only when the cards behind them are yours.
- End cards are dead weight. Aces and kings come out last; plan to have few of them, or many cards in the same suit leading to them.
- You must play if you can. Blocking only works when you also have another legal card to play instead.
Variations
- Fan Tan with chips: everyone pays a chip into the pot at the start and for each pass; the winner takes the pot, and players pay one chip per card left.
- Must play a 7 when you can: a simpler rule for children, which removes most of the blocking.
- Two decks: with 6 to 8 players, shuffle two decks; each suit then has two rows.
- Sevens with a timer: pass if you cannot decide within a few seconds, to keep the pace for young players.
Who Is It Good For?
Sevens is great for ages 6 and up, and it teaches card order and suits. If you enjoy shedding all your cards first, try Crazy Eights. For gentler games, see Go Fish and Old Maid. Before you deal, shuffle well.
Where the Game Comes From
Sevens and its betting form Fan Tan have been played in Europe and America for well over a century; the name Fan Tan is borrowed from an unrelated Chinese gambling game. Its exact origin is not known.
FAQ
How do you start Sevens?
Deal out the whole deck. The player with the 7 of diamonds plays it first. In some families it is the 7 of hearts.
Do you have to play if you can in Sevens?
Yes. If you have a legal card you must play one. You may choose which one, which is where the strategy lies.
What happens if you cannot play?
You pass, or knock on the table. In the betting version you also put one chip in the pot.
Is Sevens the same as Fan Tan?
Yes, they are names for the same game. Fan Tan usually means the version played with chips.
How many players can play Sevens?
3 to 8 with one deck. For larger groups, shuffle two decks together.