Pusoy Dos: How to Play the Filipino Climbing Card Game

Pusoy Dos is a shedding game for four players. Everyone is dealt thirteen cards, and the aim is to be first to get rid of all of them by playing a higher card or combination than the one before. The twos are the strongest cards in the deck, which is where the "dos" in the name comes from. It belongs to the same family as the game played elsewhere under the name Big Two, and it is a familiar sight at family gatherings and on phone apps across the Philippines.

Players, deck and deal

A standard 52-card deck is used, without jokers. With four players the whole deck is dealt, thirteen cards each. Three-player games exist, but they need an agreed way of handling the extra cards, so settle that before the first hand. Nobody draws or discards during play; the thirteen cards you receive are the only ones you will have.

Card order and suit order

Ranks run from low to high as follows: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A, 2. The three is the weakest card and the two the strongest.

When two cards share a rank, suit decides which is higher. The order most commonly used for Pusoy Dos is:

So the three of clubs is the lowest card in the game and the two of diamonds the highest. Big Two in other regions often uses a different suit order, so agree on it before dealing if players come from different traditions.

What you can play

Each play is one of a fixed set of combinations. Whatever starts a round sets the type: if it opens with a pair, only pairs may follow until the round ends.

• Single card. Beaten by any higher single.
• Pair. Two cards of the same rank, beaten by a higher pair. Between pairs of the same rank, the pair holding the higher suit wins.
• Three of a kind. Allowed at most tables, beaten by higher three of a kind.
• Five-card hand. A poker-style combination, as below.

Five-card hands rank from lowest to highest:

1. Straight: five cards in sequence.
2. Flush: five cards of one suit.
3. Full house: three of a kind plus a pair, compared by the three of a kind.
4. Four of a kind plus any single card, compared by the four.
5. Straight flush: five in sequence, all one suit.

Any higher category beats any lower one. Within the same category, the highest key card decides, with suit breaking ties. Whether a straight may include the two, or wrap round from king to three, is one of the commonest house-rule differences.

How a round moves

1. The player holding the three of clubs starts the first round, and the opening play must include that card. It can be a single, a pair or a five-card hand containing it.
2. Play passes around the table in the agreed direction. Each player either beats the last play with a higher combination of the same size or passes.
3. When everyone else has passed in turn, the round ends. The last player to put cards down clears the pile and opens a new round with any legal combination.
4. The hand ends when one player plays their final card.

Tables differ on whether a player who has passed can come back in later in the same round, so confirm this at the start.

Winning and scoring

The first player out of cards wins the hand. Scoring depends on the table, but it is usually based on how many cards the others still hold. Some groups add a penalty for being caught holding twos or for having most of your cards left. Whatever system is used, agree on it before the first deal so there is no debate when the cards run out.

Simple tips for new players

• Shed awkward low singles early, while others are still happy to let small cards pass.
• Keep a two in reserve. A strong single helps you win a round and take control of what gets played next.
• Plan your five-card hands. Building them uses up many cards at once, which is the quickest way toward an empty hand.
• Watch who is nearly out. When an opponent has one or two cards left, avoid leading singles they could beat.
• Count the twos. Knowing how many have been played tells you whether your high single is safe.

Pusoy Dos and other thirteen-card games

Pusoy Dos shares its thirteen-card deal with Capsa Susun, but the two play very differently. In Capsa Susun you sort all your cards into three hands at once and reveal them; in Pusoy Dos you play them out round by round, reacting to others. Note that plain "Pusoy" in the Philippines often refers to the three-hand arranging game rather than this one. For casino-style card games that are played against a pay table rather than other people, see Three Card Poker and Mississippi Stud.

Pusoy Dos is most often played for points or for fun. If a group plays for money, keep it to adults, keep stakes small and agreed in advance, and bear in mind that local law on private card games differs from place to place.