How to Play 7 of Diamonds & More on the Fun Game Sevens

how to play 7 of diamonds - a hand of cards

How to Play 7 of Diamonds

7 of Diamonds is a card game, which is often played with a standard deck of cards. Here’s a breakdown of how the game typically works:


Objective

The goal is to get rid of all your cards by following specific rules for playing them in sequence.


Setup

  1. Use a standard 52-card deck.
  2. Deal all the cards evenly among players (usually 3-6 players). Some players might have one more card if the number doesn’t divide evenly.
  3. Players keep their cards hidden from others.

Gameplay

  1. The 7 of Diamonds is the starting card and must be played first.
  2. Players take turns clockwise, either playing a card or passing if they can’t play.
  3. The cards are built outwards from the 7 in sequence and by suit:
    • E.g., after the 7 of Diamonds, players can add the 6 of Diamonds or the 8 of Diamonds.
    • Then, players can expand to other suits once the suit has started. For example, if the 7 of Diamonds is out, players can add the 7 of Hearts, 7 of Spades, or 7 of Clubs.

Rules

  1. Playing Cards:
    • Cards must be placed in numerical order, either ascending or descending.
    • You can only play a card if it directly connects to the sequence already on the table.
  2. Pass Rule:
    • If you can’t play a card, you must pass your turn.
  3. Strategy:
    • Hold onto cards that block others from playing until a strategic time.

Winning

The first player to get rid of all their cards wins. The game continues until all players have finished, and the order of winners is determined.


This game is similar to other sequencing card games like “Sevens” or “Parliament”, and it’s easy to play with a group!

Card Game 7s Scoring/Sevens Card Game Rules PDF

If you would like save, share, or print this page as a PDF, here it is below.

Sevens Card Game Scoring Sheet

You do not need a specific scoring sheet to keep scores for Sevens. On a piece of paper, simply draw as many columns as there are players in the game.

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After each round, simply write the number of points won by the winner of the game in their column, then add up these scores to see who is the overall winner.

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7 Card Game

Games of Sevens are fairly quick, which means you can play plenty of rounds in a short space of time so introducing a scoring system makes sense.

7 Card Game Scoring/Sevens Scoring by Uno

Take inspiration from the classic UNO rules and use the same scoring system, add up everyone who has cards left and award the winning player the combined score.

Sevens the Card Game Scoring: Card Values

Work scoring out as follows:

  • Numbered cards – Face Value;
  • Ace – 1 point;
  • Jack, Queen, King – 10 points.

Sevens Card Game Scoring: Who Is the Winner?

When everyone’s done playing, whoever has the most points accumulated across the entire game wins.

Black 7 Card Game

Did you come to this post looking for how to play Sevens, the card game played with a regular deck of playing cards? If so, here is a video that explains that.

As you can see, Sevens is quite a simple game to play with one simple goal: be the first player to get rid of all your cards by placing them in numerical order starting with the 7 of each suit (hence the name of the game).

Sevens may not look like a particularly challenging game, but you have to be careful what moves you make, especially in the beginning.

A wrong move early in the game can cost you quite a lot by the end of the game.

Sevens is a game you can play with young children. Generally, children who are 8 years old or older can grasp the rules of the game fairly well though children as young as 5 years might be able to play depending on their own development levels.

To play Sevens, you only need one standard deck of playing cards with 52 cards, though you will not be playing with the jokers.

Sevens is best played with 3 or more players. It is an easy game to play and a round of Sevens generally takes 10 to 15 minutes.

Sevens falls in the category of shedding-type card games.

Other card games similar to Sevens include UNO, Rummy, Wizard, Pinochle, and Solitaire.

To begin a game of Sevens, you first need to select a person who will be dealing the cards.

To choose a dealer, have everyone who will be playing the game select a random card from the card deck. Whoever chooses the highest value card gets to be the first dealer.

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So since the Jokers will not be used to play Sevens, the dealer should pull those out of the deck and give the rest of the cards a good shuffle.

The dealer then distributes ALL the playing cards to those that will be playing–there are no discard piles nor draw cards in Sevens.

Once all the players have their cards, the first person to play is whoever has the 7 of Diamonds in their hand. This is the first card that must be played. (Some people begin the game of Sevens with the 7 of Spades [like in the video above], yet even others have the first player be whoever is left of the dealer. What does not change in all versions of the game is that the first card to be played must be a 7.)

Play will then proceed in a clockwise direction.

As each player takes their turn, they can play either one of two things:

  • A 7 of any suit, or
  • A card that is next in the number sequence of any card that has been played so far (in increasing or decreasing order).

The goal of Sevens is to get rid of all the cards in your hand.

In case a player can’t play a card that fulfills either of the conditions above, then they must keep passing at their turn until they are able to play a card that fulfils one of the above conditions.

Sevens Card Game Variations: Sevens Card Game With Jokers Rules

Sevens does not have many variations. The two variations I have come across are 1) which 7 card starts the game (as mentioned above) and 2) playing with jokers.

I will not get into which 7 card should be the first card played in the game, that doesn’t change much to the game.

Playing with Jokers can be an interesting twist though.

If you do decide to play 7s with the Joker variation, then the Joker card becomes a wild card, essentially becoming any card its holder decides to make it.

Sevens Card Game Strategy

Sevens is a relatively simple game, but like many card games, it involves a mix of luck and strategy. Here are some strategic tips to improve your chances of winning:

Card Management

  1. Prioritize Playing Key Cards:
  • Early in the game, try to play your 7s as soon as possible. This allows you to have more options for your next plays and can help you control the pace of the game.
  1. Balance High and Low Cards:
  • Keep a mix of high and low cards in your hand to ensure you can play on both ends of the sequences that develop. This flexibility can prevent you from getting stuck with unplayable cards.
  1. Avoid Holding onto Extremes:
  • If you hold the highest or lowest card in a suit, try to play it as soon as it’s safe to do so. These cards can be the hardest to play later in the game.
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Opponent Observation

  1. Watch Other Players:
  • Pay attention to the cards other players are playing and passing on. This can give you an idea of what suits they might be holding or lacking, helping you plan your own plays accordingly.
  1. Block Opponents:
  • If you have the chance to play a card that forces an opponent to pass their turn (because it’s a crucial card in the sequence), take it. This can give you more control over the game.

Turn Management

  1. Plan Ahead:
  • Always think a few moves ahead. Consider what cards you might need to play next based on the current state of the board and the cards in your hand.
  1. Take Advantage of Forced Plays:
  • If you know a certain card must be played to continue a sequence and you have it, use it strategically to force the game in a direction that benefits you.

Psychological Tactics

  1. Bluffing and Misdirection:
  • While bluffing isn’t as prominent in Sevens as in some other card games, you can sometimes use hesitation or deliberate play to mislead opponents about the cards you have.
  1. Passing Turns:
  • In some versions of Sevens, players may have the option to pass under certain conditions. Use this option wisely to avoid playing cards that might set up your opponents for easy plays.

Adaptability

  1. Adjust to the Game State:
  • The dynamics of the game can change quickly as more cards are played. Be ready to adapt your strategy based on the evolving state of the game.
  1. Manage Your Hand Size:
  • Be mindful of the number of cards in your hand relative to others. Sometimes it’s strategic to play more conservatively to avoid running out of options too quickly.

By combining these strategies with attention to the flow of the game and the actions of your opponents, you can improve your chances of success in Sevens.

Photo Credits: Gather Together Games

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