How to Play Tiến Lên
Description
Twos beat everything in this Vietnamese climbing game — but four of a kind can beat a two.
Also known as: Thirteen; Tien Len
Objective
Be first to empty your hand by beating whatever's played before you with a stronger combination.
Setup
Two to four players, using a standard 52-card deck.
Deal thirteen cards to each player.
Cards rank unusually: 3 is lowest, climbing up through the numbers and face cards, with 2 as the single highest card in the game. Suits also have a fixed rank, used only to break ties between identical cards.
Rules
Whoever holds the 3 of Spades leads first, playing a single card, a pair, a run of three or more in sequence, or another valid combination.
Each player in turn must either beat the last play with a higher combination of the same type and size, or pass.
Once everyone else has passed, the last player to play starts a fresh round with any combination they like.
A four-of-a-kind or a long enough run of pairs can act as a "bomb," powerful enough to beat even a single 2.
Winning
First player to empty their hand wins.
Play can continue to rank the remaining players, or end there, depending on the group.