Overview
Vändtia (literally meaning "Turn Ten" in Swedish, and belonging to the global Palace / Shithead game family) is an exhilarating, suspense-filled two-player shedding card game. Played with a standard 52-card pack, the game combines table arrangement strategy with dramatic pile resets, pile burns, and high-stakes blind card flips in the endgame.
In Cardems, you play one-on-one against a computer opponent. Victory requires surviving three distinct stages of card play: your private hand, your face-up table cards, and your three nerve-racking face-down blind cards.
Objective
Be the first player to shed every card you control: your hand, three face-up table cards, and three hidden table cards. While the stock remains, cards drawn after each play also have to be cleared.
Setup & The Arrangement Phase
Each player receives a multi-tiered card layout:
- 3 Face-Down Cards: Dealt side by side in front of each player. These remain secret and uninspected until the very end of the game.
- 3 Face-Up Cards: Dealt directly on top of the three face-down cards.
- 3 Hand Cards: Dealt privately to the player's hand.
- Draw Stock: The remaining 34 cards form the face-down central draw deck.
Once both players are satisfied with their table arrangement, the player to the left of the dealer leads the opening turn.
How to Play
Taking a Turn
On your turn, you must play one or more cards of the identical rank onto the central play pile:
- The card played must be of equal or higher rank than the current top card on the pile (e.g., if an 8 is on top, you may play an 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, or A, or a special 2).
- You may play multiple cards of the same rank together (e.g., a pair of 9s or three Kings).
- Drawing back to 3 cards: After making a legal play, if you have fewer than 3 cards in your hand, you must draw from the stock until you hold at least 3 cards (as long as cards remain in the stock).
Picking Up the Pile
If you have no legal card that equals or beats the top card—and no playable 2 or 10—you must pick up the entire play pile into your hand. Picking up is not optional when a legal play exists. Play then passes to your opponent, who may lead any card on the empty table.
Special Power Cards
Several cards hold special game-changing abilities in Vändtia:
| Card Rank | Special Ability | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Two (2) | Reset Card | Can be played on any rank at any time. Resets the count so that the next player may play any card. |
| Ten (10) | Burn Card | Can be played on any rank at any time. Immediately burns (eliminates) the entire play pile from the game. The player who burned the pile gets an extra turn! |
| Four of a Kind | Natural Burn | Whenever four cards of the same rank appear consecutively on top of the pile, the pile is instantly burned out of play, and that player takes another turn. |
The Three Stages of Play
A player progresses through three sequential phases:
- Stage 1: Hand Cards & Stock: Play from your private hand while maintaining at least 3 cards by drawing from the central stock deck.
- Stage 2: Open Table Cards: Only after the draw stock and your private hand are both empty do you play from your 3 face-up table cards.
- Stage 3: Blind Face-Down Cards: Once all 3 of your face-up cards have been played, you must play your 3 face-down cards one at a time, sight unseen.
- You select one face-down card and flip it over onto the pile.
- If it fits legally: The play stands, and turn passes (or burns the pile if it's a 10 or 4-of-a-kind).
- If it misses (cannot legally beat the top card): You must pick up the failed card plus the entire play pile into your hand! You must then shed those hand cards again before returning to your remaining blind cards.
Scoring and Winning
The game concludes the moment a player successfully plays their final blind face-down card without having to pick up the pile:
- That player is declared the Winner.
- Cardems applies a 250-turn safety limit. The player holding fewer total remaining cards wins at that limit; an equal count is a draw.
Strategy
- Save an emergency 2 or 10: Keep at least one reset card in hand as insurance against being forced to pick up a huge 10+ card pile.
- Group your plays: Play pairs or triples together to drain cards faster and set up potential 4-of-a-kind burns.
- Count the tens: There are only four 10s in the deck. Keeping track of how many have been burned tells you how secure high cards like Kings and Aces are.
- Explore related shedding classics like War and President.
FAQ
Can I play a 2 on a King or Ace?
Yes. A 2 can be played on any card, regardless of rank. It resets the pile so the next player can play anything.
What happens when I flip a blind card that doesn't fit?
If a flipped face-down card cannot legally beat the top card on the pile, you must pick up the flipped card and the entire play pile into your private hand.
Can I look at my three face-down cards before flipping them?
No. Face-down cards must remain strictly secret and uninspected until the moment you choose to play one in the endgame.
Does burning the pile grant another turn?
Yes! Whenever you burn the pile (with a 10 or with 4-of-a-kind), the pile is removed from the game and you immediately take another turn to lead on a clean table.
