The flagship Chükö game for two or more players: share a factor, go lower, or draw and reset. Be the first to empty your hand. Play with any size pack, as long as there are enough cards to give everyone at least one card and leave one face up in the middle.
Shuffle and deal up to five cards to each player, keeping hands secret. With a small pack, deal fewer cards so everyone has the same number and at least one card remains. Put one remaining card face up in the middle to start the play pile. Stack any remaining cards face down as the draw pile.
Choose a starting player at random. Play proceeds clockwise.
Play one card from your hand onto the face-up pile if either:
For example, on 15 you can play 21 because both contain a factor of 3, or 11 because it is lower. You cannot normally play 22. The number 1 is not a prime factor and does not count as a match.
If you cannot make a normal play, or choose not to, draw one card, then play any card from your hand. You may play the card you just drew. This is a reset: your hand stays the same size, but you choose what the next player must answer. The card you play on a reset does not have to match or be lower.
Every turn ends with exactly one card played. There is no passing.
Say “chükö!” when you play down to one card. There is no penalty for forgetting the call. The first player to empty their hand wins.
When you need to draw and the draw pile is empty, leave the top card of the play pile in place and shuffle all the cards beneath it into a new draw pile. If there are no cards to recycle, take your reset without drawing: play any card from your hand. You can win on this free reset.
Low cards put pressure on the next player. Playing a 2 leaves them needing an even number or a number below 2 to avoid a reset. High cards are easier to follow: playing 77 on 7 gets a large card out of your hand, but lets the next player play anything below 77.
Cards with several different prime factors give you more options. A 30 can follow cards divisible by 2, 3, or 5, so it may be worth saving. Watch what your opponents play and when they reset to get a sense of their hands.
A reset can be a deliberate choice even when you have a normal play. Drawing a card costs you progress, but lets you put down a difficult number when the next player is close to going out.