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Dutch card-game rules, from the deal to the final score

Dutch is a face-down memory game for 2 to 10 players. Each round rewards a low-value hand, but most information is hidden: players see only two starting cards and must track later swaps from memory. This reference describes the rule set implemented by the Dutch companion app. Clearly marked house rules can be changed at your table; they are not presented as universal rules.

What you need and how to deal

Use one standard 52-card deck plus both jokers, for 54 cards total. Seat 2 to 10 players in a clear order and choose a score limit before the first deal; 100 points is the app default.

Shuffle, then deal four cards face down to every player in a two-by-two square. Nobody rearranges or turns over those cards. Each player privately looks at any two of their own cards once, returns them face down to the same positions, and memorises them. Put the remaining cards face down as the draw pile and turn its top card face up to begin the discard pile.

  • The opening peek is private and happens only once.
  • Card positions matter because later swaps target a position, not a remembered card.
  • For a large group, keep piles within reach and agree who will move cards for the far side of the table.

A legal turn

Play proceeds clockwise. On a normal turn, draw exactly one card from either the face-down draw pile or the visible top of the discard pile. A card drawn from the deck may replace one of your four face-down cards, or it may be discarded immediately. If it replaces a card, put the replaced card face up on the discard pile without looking at it again.

A card taken from the discard pile must enter your hand: swap it for one of your face-down cards, then discard the replaced card. You cannot pick up the visible discard and put that same card straight back. Players may not inspect their face-down cards unless a Queen power authorises one look.

  • Draw pile: swap or discard.
  • Discard pile: swap is mandatory.
  • The turn ends after the discard and any resulting power is resolved.

Jack and Queen powers

A Jack or Queen triggers when it is put face up on the discard pile. That can be a deck-drawn card discarded directly or a face-down hand card replaced during a swap. A Jack lets its player exchange one of their face-down cards with one opponent card without looking at either card. The two selected cards change places and remain face down. A Queen lets its player privately look at one face-down card: either one of their own or one opponent card. The card returns to the same position.

A Jack or Queen moved into a hand does not trigger at that moment. It can trigger later if a swap puts it face up on the discard pile. A power card revealed only at scoring has no effect. Finish the power before the next player begins.

  • Jack: one blind exchange; no peeking.
  • Queen: one private look; no exchange.
  • If your table gives powers to other ranks, record that as a house rule before dealing.

Calling Dutch and ending the round

At the start of their turn, before drawing, a player may say “Dutch” if they believe their hand is at least tied for the lowest value. The caller skips their normal turn. Every other player receives exactly one final turn, stopping immediately before play would return to the caller. Everyone then reveals all four cards.

If the caller has the lowest hand, including a tie for lowest, the call succeeds and the caller scores zero for that round. If another player has a strictly lower hand, the call fails and the caller's revealed hand value is doubled. Other players record their normal hand values.

  • A Dutch call is made before drawing, never after seeing a card.
  • The caller does not take another turn.
  • Tied lowest hands make the call successful in the app's canonical rules.

Card values, match ending and disputes

Jokers are −3, aces are −1, black kings are 0, numbered cards are worth their face value, Jacks and Queens are 10, and red kings are 15. Add all four cards, then apply the Dutch result. Negative round scores are valid.

Add each round to the running match total. When any player reaches or passes the chosen limit, finish that round and end the match. The player or tied players with the lowest cumulative total win. Do not select a winner from seat order. If a physical card was exposed or moved incorrectly, pause before the next draw, agree on the least speculative repair, and record any score correction in the companion's round history.

  • Lowest cumulative score wins, even if another player triggered the limit.
  • Tied match totals produce tied winners.
  • Agree house variations before the first deal, not after a disputed outcome.