What is the difference between Daifugo and President?

They are essentially the same climbing game. Daifugo is the Japanese version of the Western game President (also called Asshole or Scum). The core rules of shedding cards and exchanging cards between the top and bottom ranks are identical. Daifugo is best known for its colorful Japanese special rules, such as Revolution (Kakumei) and Eight Stop (Hachi-Giri), and for its rank titles like Daifugo and Daihinmin.

Why is the 2 the highest card in Daifugo?

In Daifugo the ranking runs from 3 at the bottom up through the Ace to the 2 at the top, with the joker (if used) above everything. This makes the 2 the strongest natural card, so a single 2 will win almost any singles round. The exception is when a Revolution is in effect, which flips the ranking so the 3 becomes high and the 2 becomes low.

What is a Revolution in Daifugo?

Revolution, or Kakumei, is a popular special rule. When a player puts down four cards of the same rank, the entire card ranking reverses for the rest of the hand, so low cards become powerful and the 2 becomes weak. Playing a second four-of-a-kind triggers a counter-revolution that restores the normal order. It is a dramatic swing that can rescue a player stuck with lots of low cards.

Do I have to play a card on my turn?

No. You can always pass instead of playing. However, in most Daifugo rules passing knocks you out of the current round, so you cannot rejoin until the table clears and a new round begins. Because of this, deciding when to pass and save a strong card is a key part of the strategy.

Is Daifugo free to play online?

Yes. You can play Daifugo free on lovecardgames.com directly in your browser. It supports both smart bots and live multiplayer with friends, with no download and no signup required.

How to Play Daifugo (Japanese President): Rules & Strategy

Daifugo, which translates roughly to "Grand Millionaire," is Japan's beloved version of the climbing card game known in the West as President. The goal is simple: be the first to shed every card in your hand and earn the top rank. What makes it so addictive is the social twist between rounds, where the winners and losers from the last hand swap their best and worst cards. This guide covers the full rules, the famous special rules like Revolution and Eight Stop, and tips to start climbing.

Daifugo (大富豪), also spelled Daifugo or known as Daihinmin ("very poor man"), is a shedding-and-climbing game for 3 to 8 players, best with 4 to 6. It uses a standard 52-card deck, often with one or two jokers added. Cards are dealt out as evenly as possible; with uneven hands, some players simply receive one extra card. The objective never changes: get rid of all your cards before everyone else.

Card Rankings

In Daifugo the 2 is high and the 3 is low. Suits do not matter for ranking. From highest to lowest, the order is:

(Joker), 2, A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3.

The joker, when used, is the single most powerful card and can also act as a wild card to fill out pairs, triples, or four-of-a-kind. A lone 2 is otherwise the strongest natural card you can play.

The Deal and the First Lead

Deal all the cards clockwise. In the very first hand, any agreed player leads; a common choice is whoever holds the 3 of diamonds. From the second hand onward, the previous loser (the Daihinmin) leads. The leader opens a round by playing any single card or any set of matching-rank cards.

How a Round Works

Play passes clockwise. On your turn you must either beat the current play or pass. The rules are tight:

You must play the same number of cards as the leader. A single is beaten only by a higher single, a pair only by a higher pair, a triple only by a higher triple.
Your play must be strictly higher in rank than the card or set on the table.
Unlike some Western variants, in Daifugo once you pass you are usually out for the rest of that round, so passing is a real commitment.
When everyone else passes, the last player to play wins the round, clears the table face-down, and leads the next round with anything they like.

You are never forced to beat a play just because you can. Often it is smarter to pass and save a strong card for a moment when it will win you the lead.

Finishing and the Player Titles

The order in which players empty their hands determines their rank for the next hand. With five or more players the titles are:

Daifugo (Grand Millionaire) — first player out.
Fugo (Millionaire) — second out.
Hinmin (Poor) — second to last.
Daihinmin (Very Poor) — the player left holding cards.

With three or four players you usually keep just the top rank (Fugo or Daifugo) and the bottom rank (Hinmin or Daihinmin).

The Card Exchange (the Heart of Daifugo)

Before every hand after the first, ranked players trade cards, and this is what gives Daifugo its bite:

The Daihinmin must give their two highest cards to the Daifugo, who returns any two unwanted cards.
The Hinmin gives their single highest card to the Fugo, who returns any one unwanted card.

This tribute makes it brutally hard to climb out of last place, which is exactly why the game is funny and tense in equal measure.

Popular Special Rules

Daifugo is famous for house rules. The most common are:

Revolution (Kakumei): playing four cards of the same rank flips the entire ranking, so 3 becomes high and 2 becomes low until the hand ends. A second four-of-a-kind flips it back.
Eight Stop (Hachi-Giri): any play containing an 8 immediately clears the table, and the player who played the 8 leads again. A great escape from a losing round.
Suit Lock (Shibari): if two plays in a row share a suit, everyone afterward must follow that suit until the table clears.
Spade 3 reversal: a lone joker can be beaten only by the 3 of spades, the one card weak enough to slip under it.
Sequences: some groups allow runs of three or more cards in the same suit, beaten only by higher runs of equal length.

Agree on which special rules you are using before you deal, because they change strategy completely.

Strategy Tips

Hoard your 2s and jokers. They guarantee you win a round and seize the lead, so spend them to dump weak cards, not early.
Lead your worst cards when you control a round, so you are not stuck with low singles at the end.
Keep four-of-a-kind for a Revolution swing, especially if you are stuck with many low cards.
Watch the exchange. As Daifugo you know two of the Daihinmin's best cards are gone, so play aggressively.
Count the high cards. Once both 2s and the joker are played, your King or Ace becomes the boss.

Once the rankings and the exchange click, Daifugo becomes a deliciously cruel mix of timing and table-reading. If you enjoy it, try its cousins: the Chinese climbing games Dou Dizhu and Big Two, the Vietnamese hit Tien Len, or the Western original, President. For more shedding fun, check out Crazy Eights.

Play now

Ready to climb from poor man to millionaire? Play Daifugo free on lovecardgames.com right in your browser. Battle smart bots or invite friends for live multiplayer, with no download and no signup required. Deal the cards and start shedding.