Sevens

About the Game

Sevens is a card game where players build four sequences, one for each suit, starting with the 7. Players must play cards in order, extending the sequences upward and downward.

The game uses the gaps in those sequences to determine drinking penalties. Players must play a card on every turn, and the game ends when every card has been placed.

What You Need

• One standard 52-card deck, with no Jokers.
• Enough space to lay out four card sequences.
• Players ready to manage their hands and follow the suits.

Setup

1. Remove all four 7s from the deck.
2. Place the 7s face up in one column, ordered from top to bottom: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs.
3. Shuffle the remaining cards.
4. Deal all the remaining cards one at a time to players until the deck is empty.
5. Players keep their hands hidden from everyone else.

How to Play

1. Play a Card

On your turn, you must play a card from your hand. Cards must be placed in the appropriate suit's sequence, extending from the 7 in numerical order.

Each suit builds both downward toward Ace and upward toward King. Aces count as 1, so the lower sequence is:

A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

The upper sequence continues from 7 through 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, and King.

2. Giving Out Drinks

When you play a card that continues a sequence without leaving a gap, count the cards in that uninterrupted sequence leading up to and including the 7. That number determines how many drinks you give out.

For example, if you extend a completed sequence of cards leading directly to the 7, you give out drinks equal to the number of cards in that uninterrupted run, including the 7.

3. Taking Drinks for Gaps

If there is a gap in the sequence, count the cards leading toward the 7, including the 7 and the missing positions in between. That total determines how many drinks you take.

The more cards missing from the sequence, the larger the penalty. A card cannot be placed out of sequence simply to avoid a gap penalty.

4. Aces

Aces count as 1 and are the lowest cards in their respective suits. They are played after the 2 in the downward sequence.

5. Every Player Must Play

Players must play a card on their turn. Continue taking turns until every card from the deck has been placed into one of the four suit sequences.

When Does the Game End?

Sevens ends when all cards have been placed in their proper sequences. There is no separate winner in this version of the game. The goal is to complete the card sequences while applying the appropriate drink rules along the way.

Rules and Fair Play

• Keep your hand hidden from the other players.
• Play cards only in their correct suit and sequence.
• Aces count as 1.
• Every player must play a card on their turn.
• Use the uninterrupted sequence and gap rules consistently.
• The game ends when every card has been played.