Game rules

Take 5 rules: how to play and how to score

Reviewed on 13 October 2026 against the publisher’s rulebook. How we check

Take 5 plays 2 to 10 players over several rounds of 10 turns: the goal is to take as few bullheads as you can. Here are the essential rules, setup and scoring, based on the official rulebook.

Players: 2 to 10
Play time: About 45 minutes
Winner: Fewest bullheads; ties share the victory

Take 5 quick rules

The goal: The 104 cards are numbered 1 to 104, and each shows bullheads, which are minus points. Each turn, everyone plays a card into one of the four rows on the table. Whoever places the sixth card in a row takes the first five. At the end, the fewest bullheads wins.
A turn: Each player has 10 cards in hand. Each turn, everyone picks a card and puts it face down in front of them, then all cards are revealed at once. The lowest card is placed first, then the next, up to the highest. You play 10 turns, until everyone has played all 10 cards.
Placing your card: You don’t choose your row: two rules decide it. Your card must be higher than the last card of the row, and it goes in the row with the lowest difference. If the rows end in 12, 37, 43 and 58, a 44 goes after the 43.
Taking a row: If your card would be the sixth in a row, you take the five cards and yours starts the row. If your card is lower than the last card of all four rows, you take a row of your choice and your card replaces it. Cards you take go face down into your bull pile, never into your hand.
Bullheads: Each bullhead is one minus point, and most cards show one. Numbers ending in 5 show two, numbers ending in 0 show three. Doubles (11, 22, 33…) show five, and the 55 shows seven.
The end of the round and of the game: A round ends when everyone has played their 10 cards: everyone counts the bullheads in their pile. The game ends at the end of the round in which a player reaches 66 bullheads or more. The fewest bullheads wins, and ties share the victory. You can also agree on another total or a number of rounds.
The Pro Variant: For 2 to 6 players, all the basic rules apply, with two changes. Keep 10 cards per player plus 4, starting from 1: with 3 players, cards 1 to 34. The cards are spread face up and everyone takes one in turn until they have 10. The 4 cards left over start the rows.
Beginner traps: Thinking you choose your row: the lowest difference decides. Forgetting other players’ cards: a card placed just before yours can fill the row and make you take it. Playing a very low card without thinking, which forces you to take a row. And cards you take never go back into your hand.
With L’extension vachement bien: This expansion adds 10 Jokers, from 0.0 to 0.9: everyone gets one at random, on top of their 10 cards. A Joker is always the lowest card of the turn: it’s played first, at the end of the row of your choice, and adds to the card before it (0.4 after a 17 makes 17.4). You can also take a row and replace it with your Joker. Two Jokers are never placed side by side.

How to score Take 5

Bullheads (each round): The bullheads on the cards you took during the round. They add up from round to round.
Card values: 1 bullhead on most cards, 2 on numbers ending in 5, 3 on numbers ending in 0, 5 on doubles (11, 22, 33…) and 7 on the 55.
Game end: At the end of the round in which a player reaches 66 bullheads or more. The fewest bullheads wins; ties share the victory.

Worked example

After three rounds, Emma has taken 12 + 23 + 34 = 69 bullheads: she’s past 66, so the game ends. Jake has 8 + 15 + 20 = 43 and Alex 30 + 9 + 11 = 50: Jake wins with 43 bullheads.

Common mistakes

Counting the cards you took instead of the bullheads they show.
Forgetting that the 55 shows 7 bullheads: it’s both a double and a number ending in 5.
Stopping in the middle of a round: always finish the current round before counting.
Thinking the highest total wins: it’s the lowest.

How to set up Take 5

Setup takes a minute, and you repeat it every new round. With L’extension vachement bien, add the Jokers step.

The cards

Shuffle all 104 cards.
Deal 10 cards to each player.
With L’extension vachement bien: shuffle the 10 Jokers separately and give one at random to each player.Each player adds it to their hand, on top of their 10 cards. With fewer than 10 players, the extra Jokers go back in the box.
Pick up your cards and sort them in ascending order.From the lowest number to the highest, without showing them.

The rows

Take the top 4 cards of the pile and put them face up, in a column.Each one starts a row. A row never holds more than 5 cards, this first card included.
Put the rest of the pile aside: you won’t need it until the next round.

Let’s go

Everyone picks a card from their hand and puts it face down in front of them.When everyone has chosen, the cards are revealed at the same time. There is no first player.
For each new round, gather all the cards and repeat this setup.

Frequently asked questions

How many cards do you start with in Take 5?

Each player gets 10 cards, and 4 face-up cards start the four rows. The rest of the pile isn’t used during the round.

What if my card is lower than every row?

You take a row of your choice, and your card replaces it. Usually, you take the one with the fewest bullheads.

When does a game of Take 5 end?

At the end of the round in which a player reaches 66 bullheads or more. The player with the fewest wins.

Ludingo’s Take 5 sheet was last reviewed on 13 October 2026, based on: gigamic.com 1, amigo-spiele.de 1, amigo-spiele.de 2, gigamic.com 2, BoardGameGeek.