Skull King rules: how to play and how to score

Skull King quick rules

The goal

A trick is one trip around the table: each player plays a card, and the strongest takes them all. The game lasts 10 rounds. At the start of each round, everyone bids the exact number of tricks they’ll win: a correct bid scores points, a missed bid loses points.

The round and the bid

In round 1, everyone gets one card, then one more each round, up to 10. There are as many tricks as cards in hand. When everyone is ready, pound your fist three times chanting “Yo-ho-ho”: on the third pound, everyone shows their bid with their fingers, a closed fist for zero. Your bid can’t change for the round.

One trick

The player to the dealer’s left leads the round, then play goes clockwise. Numbered cards are green, purple, yellow or black: the first numbered card sets the suit to follow, which you must follow if you can. The highest number wins, but black is trump: any black card beats the other three suits. The trick winner leads the next one.

The special cards

They can always be played, even if you have the suit led. The Escape always loses. Pirates beat all numbered cards. The Skull King beats Pirates. Mermaids beat the Skull King but lose to a Pirate; if all three land together, the Mermaid wins. Between two Pirates or two Mermaids, the first played wins. The Tigress counts, your choice, as a Pirate or an Escape.

Scoring a round

Correct bid of one trick or more: 20 points per trick. Missed bid: −10 points per trick off. Correct zero bid: 10 points × the number of cards dealt that round; missed, you lose those same points. Only a correct bid adds bonuses: 10 per green, purple or yellow 14, 20 for the black 14, 20 per Mermaid taken by your Pirate, 30 per Pirate taken by your Skull King, 40 for the Skull King taken by your Mermaid.

The end of the game

After each round, the deal passes to the left, and the dealer deals one more card. After round 10, the most points wins. On a tie, play one more round.

Two players

Add a ghost player, Graybeard. He gets a facedown hand in a pile, doesn’t bid and always plays second: on his turn, flip his top card. He never follows suit, and his Tigress always counts as an Escape.

Beginner traps

Forgetting that a special card can be played anytime, even when you have the suit led; counting bonuses after a missed bid; bidding zero with a hand full of Escapes: if everyone plays an Escape, the first one played wins the trick.

How to score Skull King

Bid score

Correct bid of one trick or more: 20 points per trick. Missed bid: −10 per trick off. Bid of zero: +10 × the number of cards dealt that round if correct, −10 × that number otherwise.

Bonus points

Correct bid only: green, purple or yellow 14, 10; black 14, 20; Mermaid captured by a Pirate, 20; Pirate captured by the Skull King, 30; Skull King captured by a Mermaid, 40.

Advanced modes

Loot: +20 to each of the two allies if both their bids are correct. Rascal’s bet (0, 10 or 20): won if the bid is correct, lost otherwise.

Worked example

Round 5. Emma bids 2 and wins 2 tricks, one with the black 14: 2 × 20 + 20 = 60 points. Jake bids zero but wins a trick: −10 × 5 = −50. Alex bids 3 and wins only one: 2 tricks off, −20.

Common mistakes

• Counting bonuses after a missed bid: only a correct bid earns them.
• Multiplying a zero bid by the number of tricks: it’s 10 × the number of cards dealt that round.
• Giving 20 points per trick after a missed bid: it’s −10 per trick off, too many or too few.
• With 8 players, dealing 9 or 10 cards in the last two rounds: it stays at 8.

How to set up Skull King

Setup is quick. For a first game, leave the advanced modes in the box; with 2 players, add Graybeard.