What is Fight the Landlords game and how to play it?

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Bookmaker
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What is Fight the Landlords game and how to play it?

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Fight the Landlords, also known as Dou Dizhu, is a popular card game in China. It is a shedding-type game that involves strategy, skill, and a bit of luck. The game is typically played with three players, but it can also be played with four players using a modified set of rules.

Here's how to play Fight the Landlords:

Deck: The game is played with a standard deck of 54 playing cards, including two jokers. The jokers are considered the highest-ranking cards.

Card Ranking: The card ranking follows a hierarchy, with the highest being the two jokers, followed by the two red twos, and then in descending order: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3.

Dealing: One player is randomly chosen as the first dealer. The entire deck is shuffled, and each player is dealt 17 cards, one at a time, starting from the dealer's left and moving clockwise. The remaining three cards are left face down in the middle of the table as the "landlord's cards."

Bidding: The game involves a bidding process to determine who becomes the "landlord." The bidding starts with the player to the left of the dealer and continues clockwise. Each player can either pass or make a bid by stating a higher rank of cards and quantity. For example, a bid of "one pair of threes" can be followed by "one pair of fours" or "two pairs of threes." Each subsequent bid must have a higher rank and/or greater quantity. A player who passes cannot re-enter the bidding.

Landlord Determination: The bidding continues until two consecutive players pass. The player who made the highest bid becomes the landlord and can pick up the three face-down cards from the middle of the table, adding them to their hand. The other two players become the "farmers" and form a team against the landlord.

Gameplay: The player to the left of the landlord starts the game by playing a combination of cards, such as a single card, a pair, a straight, or other valid combinations. The next player must play a higher-ranking combination of the same type or pass. The game continues clockwise, and players must follow the lead and play a higher combination or pass.

Bombs: Certain card combinations are considered "bombs" and can beat any other combination in the game. Bombs include four-of-a-kind (e.g., four Aces) and consecutive pairs (e.g., 66, 77, 88). A bomb can only be beaten by a higher-ranked bomb.

Passing: If a player cannot or chooses not to play a higher combination, they can pass. Once a player passes, they cannot play again until a new round begins.

Winning: The first player to get rid of all their cards wins the round. The round also ends if both farmers pass consecutively. The winner of the round becomes the first player to lead in the next round.

Scoring: The scoring system may vary, but typically, the landlord receives double the points from each farmer if they win. If the farmers win, each farmer receives the same number of points from the landlord. After a predetermined number of rounds, the player with the highest score is the overall winner.

Remember, these are just the basic rules, and there may be variations in different regions or among players. It's always a good idea to clarify any specific rules before starting a game of Fight the Landlords.
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