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Sevens
Also known as Fan Tan · Card Dominoes · Parking · Sevens card game · Domino (cards) · Satti · Satte Pe Satta
Sevens — also known as Fan Tan, Card Dominoes, Parking, and in India as Satti or Satte Pe Satta — is a beloved worldwide layout card game played with a standard 52-card deck. The four 7s anchor the table, and each suit builds a row outward from its 7: down toward the Ace and up toward the King. On your turn you add the next card to a row or play a 7 to open a new one; if you can't, you pass. The first player to lay down every card wins. Quick to learn, gently strategic, and great for 3 to 6 players, Sevens is a perfect family game. Play Sevens online free against smart bots or with friends — no download, no signup.
3–6 players · free · no download · no signup
How to play Sevens
- Deal all the cards out evenly; the holder of the 7♦ starts by playing it.
- On your turn, play a 7 to open a suit or add a card to the open end of a row.
- A row grows down toward the Ace and up toward the King from its 7.
- You can only play onto the ends of a row, never into the middle.
- No legal card? You pass and play moves on.
- Play your 7s early so your other cards have somewhere to go.
- Be the first to lay down your final card to win.
Sevens rules
Objective
Be the first player to get rid of all your cards by laying them onto the table in four suit sequences. Each suit forms one row that grows outward from its 7. There are no teams — it's every player for themselves.
The deal
Use one standard 52-card deck and deal all the cards out as evenly as possible; with 3, 5 or 6 players some players will hold one more card than others, which is fine. The player holding the 7 of diamonds starts the game and must (or, by agreement, may) play it first.
Building the rows
The 7 of each suit is the anchor of that suit's row. Once a 7 is down, the row can grow in two directions: downward (6, then 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace) and upward (8, then 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King). So a diamond row might read 5♦ 6♦ 7♦ 8♦ 9♦, with the open ends waiting for 4♦ and 10♦.
Your turn
On your turn you must make one legal play if you can: play a 7 to open its suit, or play a card that fits directly onto the open end of an existing row (one rank above the current highest card, or one rank below the current lowest). You may only add to the ends — you can't insert into the middle. If you have no legal card, you pass.
Passing
If you cannot play any card you pass and the turn moves on. In the standard game you must play if you are able — you can't pass to hold a card back (some house rules allow strategic passing with a limit). Because a 7 can always be played to open its suit, the game keeps moving and never deadlocks.
Winning and scoring
The first player to play their last card wins the round. For a longer game, keep playing after the winner goes out until everyone is finished, ranking players by the order they emptied their hands; or score penalty points for the cards left in losers' hands and play several rounds to a target. Holding onto low cards (Aces, 2s) or high cards (Kings, Queens) late is risky — they're often the last to find a home.
Strategy tips
- Play your 7s as early as you can — they open rows and give your own high and low cards a place to land.
- Watch which cards you're 'blocking': if you hold the only card an opponent needs, keeping it back (where rules allow) can stall them.
- Get rid of extreme cards (Aces, Kings) when the chance comes — they're the hardest to play late.
- Track which ranks are still out; if a row's next card is in your hand you control when it opens up.
- Count opponents' cards — when someone is down to one or two, avoid opening rows that hand them an easy finish.
Variants
Fan Tan · Card Dominoes · Parking · Pay or Play (betting Sevens) · Satti / Satte Pe Satta · Two-deck Sevens (7+ players)
Sevens — frequently asked questions
How do you play Sevens (Fan Tan)?
Deal all the cards out. Build each suit in a row outward from its 7 — down to the Ace and up to the King. On your turn add a card to an open end or play a 7; if you can't, you pass. First to empty their hand wins.
Who goes first in Sevens?
The player holding the 7 of diamonds starts the game by playing it.
Can you pass in Sevens if you have a playable card?
In the standard rules you must play whenever you can. Some house rules allow a limited number of strategic passes to block opponents.
How many players can play Sevens?
Sevens works best with 3 to 6 players using a single 52-card deck. With more players you can add a second deck.
Is Sevens the same as Satti or Satte Pe Satta?
Yes — Sevens is known as Satti or Satte Pe Satta in India, and as Fan Tan, Card Dominoes or Parking elsewhere. The core rules are the same.
What happens when the round ends?
The first player to play all their cards wins. You can keep playing to rank the rest, or score the cards left in losing hands and play multiple rounds to a target.