How to play Skítakall

Skítakall is the Icelandic name for the fast, ruthless climbing-and-shedding card game played all over the world under names like Palace, Karma, Shed and Shithead. The goal is simple: get rid of all your cards. The unlucky last player left holding cards is the skítakall. You play against two bots — or online with friends in real time.

Play Skítakall online with friends

Want real players to race? Choose Play online to be matched into a three-player game, or share a private invite link so all three of you play together in the browser — no account and no app. The server deals, keeps your face-down cards hidden, and keeps every hand in sync.

Your three layers

Each player has nine cards in three layers: three face-down cards you cannot see, three face-up cards on top of them, and a hand of three. Before the game starts you may swap any hand cards with your face-up ones — tap a hand card, then a face-up card to exchange them. Put your strongest cards face up, because you play them last. Press Start when you are happy.

Climbing the pile

On your turn you play a card — or several of the same rank at once — onto the central pile. It must be equal to or higher than the top card; cards rank low to high 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K A. After playing you draw back up to three cards from the stock while it lasts. If you cannot (or choose not to) play, you pick up the whole pile into your hand — and your turn ends.

Magic cards

A 2 is wild: it can be played on anything, and anything can be played on a 2 — handy for resetting a high pile.
A 10 burns the pile: it is set aside out of the game, and you play again onto a fresh pile.
Completing four of a kind on top of the pile also burns it, and you play again.

The endgame

Once the stock runs out and your hand is empty, you play from your three face-up cards using the same rules. When those are gone you play your three face-down cards blind — flip one each turn. If it happens to beat the pile, lucky you; if not, you scoop up the whole pile and play on. Empty all three layers to escape; the last player still holding cards loses.

Strategy

Hoard your 2s and 10s for emergencies — a 10 turns a monstrous pile into nothing. Don't waste high cards early; shed your low cards while the stock refills your hand. Watch your opponents' face-up cards to guess what they are forced to play next. When you must pick up, try to make it small. Tap a playable card (matching cards highlight so you can dump several), then Play; or Pick up when you are stuck. N starts a new game.