Rules of Prší (How to Play)

Prší (pronounced "prsh-ee") is a beloved Czech and Slovak card game, akin to Crazy Eights, known for its straightforward rules and engaging gameplay. The name "Prší" translates to "It’s raining," possibly alluding to the flurry of cards played during the game.

Game Overview

  • Players: 2 or more
  • Deck: 32-card German-suited deck (cards from 7 to Ace in Acorns, Leaves, Hearts, and Bells)
  • Objective: Be the first to discard all your cards.

Setup

  1. Dealing: Each player receives 4 cards.
  2. Starting Pile: Place one card face-up to begin the discard pile.
  3. Draw Pile: The remaining cards form the draw pile (talon).

Gameplay

  • Turn Order: Players take turns clockwise.
  • Playing a Card: On your turn, play a card that matches the top card of the discard pile in suit or rank.
  • Drawing: If you cannot play, draw one card. Drawing a card passes the turn to the next player.
  • If the draw pile gets depleted, remove the first card from the discard pile and flip the rest to form a new draw pile.

Special Cards

  • 7 (Sedma): Forces the next player to draw 2 cards unless he or she plays a 7. This effect stacks; consecutive sevens increase the draw count by 2 each.
  • Ace (Eso): Skips the next player's turn unless he or she plays an Ace.
  • Upper Jack (Svršek): Can be played on any card (except 7 or Ace). The player declares a new suit, and the next player must play a card of that suit.

Winning the Game

The first player to discard all their cards wins. If there are more than two players, the remaining players usually continue the game until only one is remaining.

Regional Variations

Please be aware that there are regional variations to the game that may use slightly modified set of rules, we will attempt cover these in a future article.