Higher or lower card game questions

Higher or Lower Drinking Game was submitted by Anna Sophia, Keulonien, Deutschland.

OVERVIEW of the Higher or Lower Drinking Game:

Someone starts with the deck and draws the first card and places it on the table. Then from their left, the first player guesses if the next card is higher or lower than the one on the table.

If guessed correctly they get to pick someone to drink. Also if the card is the same value the player gets to pick someone to drink too.

If guessed wrong then the player guessing has to drink.

Move on to the next player and they have to guess whether the next card is higher or lower.

Keep playing until someone passes out… Or you’ve gone through the deck.

THE RULES IN BITE SIZE CHUNKS:

  • Someone needs to be the dealer
  • The dealer pulls a card.
  • Going clockwise, the next person has to guess if the next card is higher or lower.
  • If the player guesses wrong, they have to drink.
  • If they guess correctly or it’s a card with the same value, they get to pick someone to drink!

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By: Jordan Baughman Updated April 12, 2017

The card game HiLo (short for Higher or Lower) centers itself on probability, guesswork, and a little bit of luck. HiLo requires a simple setup to play coupled with an equally simple objective: two players compete to correctly guess whether the value of a card is higher or lower than the previous card. If you make enough correct consecutive guesses, you win the game.

Setup

A deck of 52 cards is used for the game (no jokers). The deck is shuffled, and nine cards are placed in a horizontal line face down in front of each player. Both players turn face up the first card on the left side of their line of cards.

Gameplay

Card value starts with aces considered the lowest (value of 1) and kings being considered the highest (value of 13). The two players take turns guessing whether the next face-down card in their line-up will be of lower or higher value than the previous card before flipping the card face up. If a guess is incorrect, the player must remove all face-up cards from their lineup to a discard pile, replace each card with a new face-down card from the deck, and then start over. The first player to flip all of their cards wins the game.

Instant Loss Rule

An instant loss will occur when a player encounters duplicate cards. For instance, if a player sees an ace and states the next card will be of higher value to find the next card also is an ace, that player loses because the card is not of greater or lower value. Players should decide whether this rule is in effect before the game begins.

Resources

Writer Bio

Currently residing in Doylestown, Pa., Jordan Baughman began his professional writing career in March of 2010. His articles have appeared in "GamesRadar," an online magazine that is focused on the video games industry. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in business communication from Thiel College.

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How to Play Higher Lower Drinking Game – Rules

Player one is dealt a card. S/he then guesses whether the next card will be higher or lower than the card they were just dealt. If wrong, s/he drinks once (because one card was showing). If correct, s/he guesses again. After taking at least three cards, the player may choose to continue or pass, BUT ONLY after having taken at least three cards. If the player says pass, the next player starts where the previous left off.

When a player guesses incorrectly, s/he drinks for each card showing. SO, the strategy is to build up a lot of cards and then pass it to the next player.

Before play starts, determine by vote if equal cards are a loss or correct guess.

Next: view other drinking card games

It's easy to play. You will be shown two cards. You simply have to decide whether the second card is searched for higher or lower than the first card.

As you progress, you will be shown a new card. Choose higher or lower to decide whether it is searched for more or less than the previous card. The objective is to get the most right in a row. If you get one wrong, you lose the game.

The data is based on average monthly global searches in 2017

Good luck!

Around the World

Alternative namesUp the River, Down the River, Ride the Bus
TypeDrinking
Players2+
SkillsCard Counting
Cards52
DeckFrench
Rank (high→low)Ace (A) - Deuce (2)
PlayClockwise
Playing time8 min.
ChanceHigh
Related games
Bloody Knuckles

Around the world is a card-based drinking game, similar to president, but more complex and at the same time quicker. The game requires one standard (52-card) deck of playing cards. More decks can be added to accommodate additional players and increase difficulty.

The game is also known as Irish poker, Chico high low, monkey balls, Chef’s deal, foam game, North Carolina, Up and down the river, cannon ball, Charleston special, buja, Death Valley and unlucky 'sevens' seven.[citation needed]

Rules[edit]

The game is divided into two rounds. The first is a guessing or probabilistic round where players must make predictions about the card to be drawn, while the second is completely based on chance.

Round One[edit]

In the first phase of the game, each player must make a prediction about the card to be drawn on their turn.

The dealer deals each player 4 cards face up but before dealing each card, the dealer asks the player a question about the card. If the player guesses correctly, they may "give" a drink (i.e. select a rival player who must drink). If their guess is incorrect they must instead "take" a drink. The players keep the cards that are dealt to them as they are required for the later queries and are the basis of the second round; The questions are:

Card One[edit]

For the first card, the player must predict the color of the card draw, "red" (hearts and diamonds) or "black" (clubs and spades).

Card Two[edit]

For the second card, the player must predict whether the value of the card drawn will be higher or lower than the first card they were dealt. A third, legitimate, but rarely chosen option is "same", where the card is predicted to be of the same value as the first card.

Values are usually ordered deuce through ace, but other sequences, (such as ace low) are possible.

Card Three[edit]

For the third card, the player predicts whether the value of the card drawn will be between the values of the first two cards, "in", or outside of those values, "out". For example, if the value of the card drawn in round 2 is 9, and the next card drawn is 2, the value of the card is drawn between the range 9 - 2 (cards 9, 10, J, Q , K, A) As with card two, there is a third option of "same", which is a prediction that the value will match one of the two cards already present.

Card Four[edit]

Unlike the second and third questions, the fourth card's question is not (directly) related to the cards drawn before it. Rather, the player simply predicts which suit the card will be. Depending on rules agreed upon before the game, the player will guess one suit, or simply guess "same" or "different" with regard to the suit drawn as to whether it is the same as the original three cards dealt or different from them.

Round Two[edit]

Unlike the first round, the second phase of the game is entirely chance based and all players participate at the same time, rather than taking turns as in round one.

The dealer deals eight cards, face down, from the deck, placing them in two columns, the "give" column and the "take" column.

The dealer then flips each card over in sequence, starting with a "take" card, then proceeding to the "give" card, and then moving to the next position in the column. If any of a player's cards (dealt to them in the first part) match the value of the revealed card, they must take or give drinks. If multiple cards in a player's possession match the revealed value, they are each counted separately.

The quantity of drinks each card is worth increases as the cards are revealed. The values are traditionally, "one drink", "two drinks", "four drinks", and "half a beer". If mixed drinks are being used, "half a beer" is considered to be the same as half a glass. If shots are being used (not recommended), there is no established value of "half a beer", but the implication is that a large quantity should be consumed.

When a player is giving multiple drinks, they may, at their option, split them up amongst multiple players. Splitting up a "half a beer" can sometimes be contentious as the precise relationship of this abstract quantity to an integer number of drinks is undefined within the rules of the game, however, "eight drinks" is commonly used in lieu of "half a beer".

Variations[edit]

  • The increasing drink value of each card in the second round may also be applied to the first round. This option serves to increase the quantity of alcohol consumed.
  • The values of the cards in the second round may be reduced to a linear sequence of 1-2-3-4. This reduces the drinks consumed and allows for more rounds to be played.
  • A face card may be considered to count for twice the standard number of drinks it would otherwise have granted.
  • The increasing value of the cards in the second round (and/or the first round if that variation is used) can be increased to one, two, "half a beer", and "a whole beer".
  • A fifth card may be dealt in the first round, usually between the 3rd and final card. The question here is "Odd, even or picture card?"
    • This results in players ending with a 5-card hand, and allows for the player with the winning poker hand to overrule any drinks applied in the second round of that game.
  • A card may be added to both ends of round two's columns, one being indicated as a "give" and the other as a "take", and following the same rules as round two's columns with each end card being worth "twelve drinks" or a "full beer".
  • A different game of the same name features a circle of players each flipping a card in turn, with a different drinking scenario associated with each card (twos allow the player to force another player to drink, sixes make all males drink, etc.) Some cards have a quick game, with the loser drinking. After the card is flipped it is placed under the tab of a beer can until the stack of cards forces the tab open, at which point the player has to drink the entire can.

See also[edit]

  • List of drinking games

What is an ace in higher or lower?

The cards are ranked thus, from low to high: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace. An ace is the highest card, but it can also function as the lowest in completing a straight.

What are high cards and low cards?

The cards are ranked (from high to low) Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace. (Ace can be high or low, but is usually high). There are four suits (spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs); however, no suit is higher than another.

Is ace high or low in play your cards right?

The player will then attempt to guess whether the next card in line is Higher or Lower rank than the previous. If at any point they guess incorrectly the game is over. Ace is considered high in this game.