The Queens

## ABOUT THE QUEENS The Queens is a fast-paced card, attention, and reflex game where 2–4 players face off around a single deck of cards. You can learn the rules in a few minutes; however, tracking the right card, reading your opponents' behavior, and choosing the perfect moment to play requires true mastery. Each match begins with a standard 52-card deck. Cards are distributed as evenly as possible among the players, and everyone keeps their own deck face down. When it's their turn, players reveal the top card of their deck. As cards continue to accumulate in the center of the table, the next player is the one on the right. The goal isn't just to play cards: when a valid combination forms in the center, you must act before the other players, win all the cards on the table, and add them to your own deck. ## FACE CARD CHALLENGES When a Jack, Queen, King, or Ace is played, the normal round flow is interrupted, and a challenge begins. The next player has a limited number of attempts to reveal another face card: - Ace: 1 attempt - Jack: 2 attempts - King: 3 attempts - Queen: 4 attempts If the responding player reveals another face card within their allotted attempts, the challenge does not end. The newly played face card sets a new challenge, and the task of responding passes to the next player. For example, if a player plays a King, the next player has three attempts. If this player reveals a Queen on their second attempt, the challenge continues, and the next player now has four attempts. If a player uses all their attempts but cannot reveal another face card, the owner of the last face card that initiated the challenge wins all the cards in the pot. Therefore, playing a strong face card can provide a great advantage; however, all plans can suddenly change when a valid hitting combination occurs on the table. ## WHEN CAN YOU HIT THE POT? In The Queens, there are initially two basic hitting combinations: - Double: Two consecutive cards of the same value appearing on the table. For example, two 7s, two Kings, or two Aces. - Tost: The last card played and the two cards before it are of the same value. For example, 8–Jack–8 or Queen–3–Queen. The suits and symbols of the cards are irrelevant; combinations are calculated based on the values ​​of the cards. When a valid Double or Tost occurs, all living players can hit the table without waiting for their normal turn. Even if the Face Card Challenge is still active, the player who first notices the valid combination can hit the table. The player who makes the first successful hit in the valid combination wins all the cards on the table. If more than one player attempts to hit simultaneously, the first valid hit confirmed by the server wins. Other players do not receive penalties for incorrect hits as they are attempting to hit within the valid window. ## THE PRICE OF A MISHIT Speed ​​is important, but reckless play is dangerous. Hitting when there isn't a Double or Tost on the table is considered a mishit. When a player with cards in their deck hits a mishit, they give a maximum of two cards from their deck as a penalty to the next active player. These cards can strengthen your opponent's deck and instantly change the balance of the match. Therefore, you should not only strive to be faster than your opponents, but also ensure that the combination is truly valid. Sometimes hesitating costs you cards on the table; sometimes rushing gives your opponent free cards. ## EVEN IF YOU RUN OUT OF CARDS, IT'S NOT OVER In three- or four-player matches, losing all the cards in your deck doesn't always mean you're instantly eliminated. A player who runs out of cards cannot play a card during their normal turn and is skipped during the round; however, they can continue to follow the table and hit valid combinations. Each player has three lives for this comeback period. If you hit a valid Double or Tost before anyone else when you have no cards left, you win all the cards in the pot and rejoin the game. Thus, a seemingly lost match can be changed with a single correct reflex. However, if you hit incorrectly when you have no cards, you lose a life instead of a card penalty. If you lose all three lives, you are completely eliminated from the match and can no longer hit the table. In two-player matches, if one player runs out of cards, their opponent wins the match. This mode offers shorter, more direct, and unforgiving duels. ## HOW TO WIN THE MATCH? The Queens has multiple victory conditions: - The player who gets all 52 cards in the deck wins the match instantly. - The player who is the last player alive at the table wins. - In a two-player match, the player who completely eliminates their opponent's cards wins. - If a normal match doesn't conclude within 60 rounds, the player with the most cards is declared the winner. A round progresses with players who are alive and able to play cards completing their turns around the table. Face card challenges and hitting contests can extend beyond the round's limits; the important thing is to fully resolve the game situation that has begun. ## EXTRA TIME If two or more players have the same highest card count at the end of round 60, the match does not end in a draw. The card leaders go to extra time. In extra time, only the tied leader players continue the match. At the end of each full extra time round, the card counts are compared again. Players with the same highest card count advance to the next extra time round, while those behind are eliminated. This process continues until only one leader remains. Therefore, every decision made until the last card of the match can be important. ## EVERY TABLE IS A DIFFERENT STORY The Queens comes to life not only through rules, but also through the tension between the players. You can try to anticipate when your opponent will strike, distract them with a fake move, or take a risk when everyone else hesitates. With a large stack of cards on the table, a single right move can change the entire game. Challenge your friends or online opponents in matches ranging from lively bar atmospheres to themed tables overlooking the sea. Experience a new story in every match with different card sequences, chain face-card challenges, last-minute comebacks, and balances shifting in seconds. Easy to learn, difficult to master; add The Queens to your wishlist, a game that combines attention, risk management, and reflexes on the same table. Keep your eyes on the table when the cards are dealt—because sometimes it takes only a second to decide the winner. ---