How to Play

No Thanks!

3-7 players 20-20 min 7.1 Board Game Geek Rating

Players compete for the lowest score in this simple card game. Each turn, spend a chip to pass or take the face-up card plus accumulated chips. Cards (numbered 3-35) equal their face value in points, but consecutive runs only score their lowest card. Chips subtract one point each, creating tactical decisions between avoiding cards versus collecting chips.

Published 2004

No Thanks!

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

1
Prepare the deck
Shuffle all 33 cards (numbered 3-35) thoroughly
2
Remove cards secretly
Discard 9 random cards face-down without anyone seeing them
3
Place the draw pile
Put the remaining deck face-down in the center of all players
4
Distribute chips based on player count
Give each player their starting chips:
5
Keep chips hidden
Players must keep their chip count secret from other players
6
Select first player
Choose randomly, or pick whoever most recently received a gift

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Reveal the top card
Flip the top card of the deck face-up for all to see
2
Choose one of two actions
You must either take the card or refuse it:
3
Pass play after refusing
If you refuse, the player to your left faces the same choice
4
Continue until taken
The card keeps circulating until someone takes it
5
Reconsider previously refused cards
If the card returns to you, you may take it even if you refused before
6
Mandatory take when chipless
If you have no chips remaining, you must take the current card
7
Start the next card
After taking a card, you flip the next card from the deck and choose first

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
End the game
The game concludes when the final card from the deck is taken
2
Form runs for scoring
If you have 2 or more cards with consecutive numbers, they form a run
3
Calculate your score
Add up the point values of your cards (counting only lowest card per run)
4
Subtract your chips
Deduct 1 point for each chip you possess
5
Determine the winner
The player with the lowest final score wins
6
Example scoring
Cards 3, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14 with 8 chips = 3 + 7 + 12 - 8 = 14 points

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FULL rules

Looking for the full details? Grab the complete rulebook as a downloadable PDF.

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