Three Thirteen rules
Eleven rounds, one more card each time, and a different wild card every round.
The goal
Three Thirteen (also written 3-13) is played over eleven rounds by two or more players. Each round deals one more card than the last, and the wild card changes every round. Unmatched cards are penalty points, and the lowest total after round 11 wins.
The rounds and the wild card
Use one pack for two players and two packs shuffled together for three or more. The wild card is the rank matching the number of cards dealt (jack as 11, queen 12, king 13):
| Round | Cards dealt | Wild card |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | threes |
| 2 | 4 | fours |
| 3 | 5 | fives |
| 4 | 6 | sixes |
| 5 | 7 | sevens |
| 6 | 8 | eights |
| 7 | 9 | nines |
| 8 | 10 | tens |
| 9 | 11 | jacks |
| 10 | 12 | queens |
| 11 | 13 | kings |
The Three Thirteen scorekeeper shows each round's wild card and deal as you go.
A turn
The deal passes to the left each round. Deal the round's cards, put the rest face down as the stock, and turn one up to start the discard pile. On your turn, draw the top card of the stock or the discard pile, then discard. Nothing is melded on the table during play, and there is no laying off on other players' cards.
Melds and wild cards
- A set is three or more cards of one rank. With two packs, identical cards are fine (9♣ 9♣ 9♥).
- A run is three or more in sequence in one suit, aces low only (Q-K-A doesn't count).
- A wild card can fill any place in a set or run, in any suit, and a meld can be made entirely of wild cards. In round 6 (eights wild), 4♥ 8♠ 6♥ is a run.
- Last round's wild rank is an ordinary card again. Forgetting that is the classic Three Thirteen mistake.
Going out and the last turn
- After drawing, if every card but one fits into sets and runs, discard that one and say "out". Show your melds.
- Every other player takes one more turn: draw, improve if they can, discard.
- Then everyone lays out their best arrangement.
Scoring
| Unmatched card | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Ace | 1 |
| 2 to 10 | face value |
| Jack, queen, king | 10 |
| Wild card left unmatched | its ordinary value |
| Player who went out | 0 |
Arrange your hand for the lowest count, add up what's left, and add it to your total. Anyone else who melds every card also scores 0. After round 11 the lowest total wins.
House rules
- Ace high or low in runs (Q-K-A allowed), with an unmatched ace costing 15.
- Jack 11, queen 12, king 13 as penalties.
- Jokers as extra wild cards, costing 20 when unmatched.
- An unmatched wild card costing more than its face value. The usual sources don't say; agree it first.
- If the stock runs out: the usual sources don't cover it, so agree in advance (reshuffling the discards is one way).
Rummy tools
Rummy scorekeeper
Gin, Rummy 500, Three Thirteen and Contract Rummy, on your phone.
Gin rummy calculator
Pick ten cards: best melds, deadwood, knock or not, and the score.
Printable score sheets
Gin box scoring, Rummy 500, Three Thirteen and contract rummy.
Gin rummy rules
Knocking, gin, lay-offs, undercuts and box scoring.
Rummy 500 rules
Melds score for you, cards in hand count against you.
Three Thirteen rules
Eleven rounds, a new wild card every round.
Contract rummy rules
Seven contracts, buying out of turn, and penalties.