Shithead Card Game Rules

Shithead (also known as Palace, Karma, or Shed) is a card game for 2–5 players. The goal is simple: be the first to get rid of all your cards. The last player holding cards is the "Shithead." Every group plays differently — our version lets you customise every special card to match your house rules. See also Pagat's Shithead reference for regional variations and historical notes.

Setup

Each player receives 9 cards from a standard 52-card deck:

3 face-down cards — placed on the table, never looked at
3 face-up cards — placed on top of the face-down cards, visible to everyone
3 hand cards — held privately in your hand

Before play begins, you may swap any cards between your hand and your face-up cards. This is your only chance to set up your table — choose wisely.

Taking a turn

The player with the lowest face-up card goes first. On your turn:

Play one or more cards of the same rank onto the pile.
Your card(s) must be equal to or higher than the top card.
If you can't play, pick up the entire pile into your hand.
Draw back up to 3 hand cards from the deck while cards remain.

Voluntary pickup

By default you may choose to pick up the pile even when you have playable cards — it counts as your turn. Picking up a small pile can be a smart tactical move. This rule can be toggled off in the rules customiser.

Card order

Hand cards first — play from your hand while you have any.
Face-up cards second — once your hand is empty, play from the table.
Face-down cards last — played blind; if the card is invalid, you pick up the pile.

Special cards

Special cards are what make every game of Shithead unique. In our version you choose which ranks have which abilities before the game starts. The six abilities:

Reset (default 2) — can be played on anything; the next player may play any card.
Invisible (default 3) — can be played on anything but doesn't change the pile rank; the next player must beat the card beneath it.
Skip (default 8) — skips the next player's turn; play multiples to skip multiple players.
Lower (default 9) — the next player must play equal or lower instead of higher.
Reverse — reverses the direction of play (assignable to any rank).
Burn (default 10) — removes the entire pile from the game and grants another turn immediately.

Four of a kind

When four cards of the same rank sit on top of the pile — played across one or more turns — the pile burns automatically and the player who completed it takes another turn. This rule can be toggled on or off.

Customise your rules

Before starting a game you can pick a preset (like Rawlins: 2 reset, 3 invisible, 8 skip, 9 lower, 10 burn) or assign any ability to any rank, toggle four-of-a-kind burns and voluntary pickup, and save your custom setup for next time.

Winning

Clear all your cards — hand, face-up, and face-down — to finish. The last player left holding cards is the Shithead.

Frequently asked questions

Can I play multiple cards at once? Yes — if you have several cards of the same rank, play them all in one turn.

What happens if I pick up the pile? All pile cards go into your hand and your turn ends; the next player starts a fresh pile with any card.

Can I pick up the pile even if I can play? Yes, by default — voluntary pickup lets you take the pile as your turn. It can be disabled in settings.

Can I customise which cards are special? Yes — assign any ability to any rank; make 7s burn or give Aces a skip.

Can I look at my face-down cards? No — face-down cards stay unknown until you play them.

Ready to play? Start a game against computer opponents, or host an online game with your own rules. Want to improve? Read the strategy guide.

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