How to Play Six Card Golf
Swap cards into your grid and keep your score low.
Also known as Golf
Learn Six Card Golf for 2–6 players: the six-card grid, drawing and swapping, card values, column pairs and going out. Score a sample grid, then play in your browser.
Scoring one grid
The top row is K♠ 5♥ J♣ and the bottom row K♦ 5♣ 2♥. The first column is two kings and the second two fives: each pair scores 0. The third column is the J♣ for 10 and the 2♥ for −2, so the grid scores 8.
| Column | Score |
|---|---|
| K♠ over K♦ | 0: a pair |
| 5♥ over 5♣ | 0: a pair, instead of 10 |
| J♣ over 2♥ | 10 − 2 = 8 |
| Whole grid | 8 |
Pairs count only within a column. When one player's six cards are all face up, everyone else has one more turn, then every grid is scored; the lowest total after the last hole wins.
Practise this game in your browser🎯 Objective
Finish the match with the lowest total. A match is 9 holes unless you change it at setup (1, 9 or 18).
🃏 Six Card Golf Setup & Rules
- 2 to 6 players. One 52-card deck for up to four players, two decks shuffled together for five or six. No jokers.
- Everyone gets six cards face down in two rows of three. The next card is turned up to start the discard pile and the rest is the stock.
- Before the first turn each player, starting left of the dealer, turns two of their own cards face up. Nobody sees a face-down card, not even its owner, until it is turned.
▶ How to Play Six Card Golf
- On your turn, draw the top card of the stock (only you see it) or take the top card of the discard pile.
- Swap it for any one of your six cards, face up or face down: the new card goes in face up and the card it replaces goes face up on the discard pile.
- A card drawn from the stock may be discarded instead, ending your turn. A card taken from the discard pile must be swapped in.
- Cards in your grid never move, and a face-up card stays face up. When the stock runs out, the discard pile under its top card is shuffled into a new stock.
- When one player's six cards are all face up, everyone else has exactly one more turn. Then every card is turned up, the hole is scored and the deal passes to the left.
🎬 Watch: How to Play Six Card Golf
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📖 Detailed Guide
Setting up your table
- From the game menu choose Six Card Golf, then pick 2 to 6 seats and fill the empty ones with AI players at Easy, Medium or Hard.
- Set the holes: 9 by default, or 1 or 18. The lowest total after the last hole wins the match.
- The app deals one 52-card deck for 2 to 4 players and two decks for 5 or 6, with no jokers. Everyone gets six cards face down in two rows of three.
- One card is turned up to start the discard pile and the rest is the stock. Each player in turn, from the dealer's left, taps two of their own cards to turn them face up.
Taking a turn
- Draw the top card of the stock, which only you see, or take the top card of the discard pile.
- Tap one of your six cards to put the drawn card there face up; the card it replaces goes face up onto the discard pile.
- Replacing a face-down card is a gamble: you only find out what it was as it goes to the pile.
- A stock card you don't want can be discarded, ending your turn. A card taken from the discard pile must be swapped in.
Card values and pairs
- Ace 1, two −2, three to ten their number, jack and queen 10, king 0.
- Two cards of the same rank in one column, one above the other, score 0 for that column, even a pair of twos.
- A pair counts only in a column. The same two cards side by side in a row still score their full value.
- A king is worth 0 on its own and needs no partner. Twos are better apart, at −2 each, than paired at 0.
Ending the hole and the match
- When one player's six cards are all face up, every other player has exactly one more turn.
- Then every card is turned up, each grid is scored and the score is added to that player's total.
- The deal passes one seat to the left for the next hole; the player after the dealer turns up first and plays first.
- After the last hole the lowest total wins the match. Players tied for the lowest total share the win.
📊 Six Card Golf Scoring
Ace 1, two −2, three to ten their number, jack and queen 10, king 0. Two cards of the same rank in one column score 0 for that column, a pair of twos included. Each hole's grid score is added to your total; after the last hole the lowest total wins, and a tie shares the win. The app plays without jokers, and you cannot turn a card up instead of swapping after a discard.
❓ Six Card Golf — Frequently Asked Questions
How many players do you need for Six Card Golf?
Six Card Golf is played with 2–6 players. On Vanikar, empty seats can be filled with AI opponents so you can always start a game.
How much is each card worth in Six Card Golf?
An ace is 1, a 2 is −2, a 3 to a 10 is its number, a jack or queen is 10 and a king is 0. A pair of the same rank in the same column scores 0 for that column.
What happens when a player turns up all 6 cards?
That player is out, and every other player has exactly 1 more turn. Then all cards are turned face up and every grid is scored, including the grid of the player who went out.
Can you discard a card taken from the discard pile?
No. A card taken from the discard pile must be swapped into your grid. Only a card drawn from the stock may be discarded instead, and the app has no option to turn a face-down card up after discarding.
How many decks and holes does Six Card Golf use?
1 deck of 52 cards for 2 to 4 players and 2 decks for 5 or 6, with no jokers. A match is 9 holes by default, or 1 or 18 if you change it at setup.