Overview
Pişti is a two-player capture game in Cardems. You play against the app's opponent, watching the top of the center pile for a matching rank and choosing when a Jack is worth spending.
Objective
Collect the most valuable cards and Pişti bonuses in one complete deal. When all cards have been played, the higher point total wins; a tied total is broken by the number of captured cards.
Setup
Cardems uses one standard 52-card deck. Four cards start in the center: the top card is face up and the other three are face down. If the starting top card would be a Jack, the app swaps it with a non-Jack card in the initial center pile.
Each player receives four cards. The human player takes the first turn. Whenever both hands are empty and cards remain in the deck, each player receives another four cards.
How to Play
- Play one card to the center pile on your turn.
- If it matches the rank of the top center card, capture the entire pile, including the card just played.
- A Jack captures any non-empty center pile, regardless of the top card's rank.
- Otherwise, the played card stays on top of the center pile and the opponent takes the next turn.
- Continue through every four-card deal until the deck and both hands are empty.
Important Rules
- A normal Pişti occurs when a non-Jack matches the only card in the center pile, making a two-card capture.
- A Jack Pişti occurs only when a Jack matches a lone Jack in the center pile. It is worth more than a normal Pişti.
- A Jack played on a lone non-Jack captures the two cards, but it is not a Pişti.
- After the final plays, any cards left in the center go to the player who made the most recent capture. If nobody has captured, Cardems awards those remaining cards to the human player.
Scoring and Winning
| Card or achievement | Points |
|---|---|
| Each Ace | 1 |
| Each Jack | 1 |
| 2 of Clubs | 2 |
| 10 of Diamonds | 3 |
| 27 or more captured cards | 3 |
| Normal Pişti | 10 |
| Jack Pişti | 20 |
The player with the higher total wins the deal. If the totals match, Cardems awards the win to the player with more captured cards; if that is also tied, the result is a draw. There is no multi-deal target score in this version.
For example, a player who captures two Aces, the 10 of Diamonds, and one normal Pişti has 15 points from those items: 2 + 3 + 10. Other captured point cards and bonuses are added in the same way.
Strategy
Jacks are flexible but scarce. A Jack can protect you from leaving a large pile of point cards for the opponent, but playing it on a small pile may waste the chance to collect more later. Notice whether the center contains Aces, Jacks, the 2 of Clubs, or the 10 of Diamonds before deciding.
Variations
Cardems implements a two-player, single-deal Pişti game against an app opponent. It does not offer four-player partnerships, selectable scoring rules, or a match target.
FAQ
Can a Jack make a Pişti on any single card?
No. A Jack captures any non-empty pile, but a Jack Pişti requires a lone Jack to be on top of the center pile.
Why is the first center card never a Jack?
The app swaps an opening Jack with a non-Jack from the initial four center cards before play begins.
Who takes the last cards left on the table?
They go to the most recent capturer, or to the human player if no capture has occurred.
Do the suits need to match for a regular capture?
No. A regular capture matches the top card's rank only. The suits of the two cards do not matter.
When are new cards dealt?
Both players must finish their current four-card hands. If the deck still has cards, Cardems deals four more to each player.
