# Guandan Guandan (掼蛋) is a four-player, two-deck partnership card game. This app lets you play online with friends using a table code, or practise one-tap solo matches against server bots, with a bilingual rules guide, narrated tutorials and a phone-friendly table. This guide covers [gd.micstec.com](https://gd.micstec.com) and the rules as this app implements them. | | | | --- | --- | | **Players** | Four, in two fixed partnerships: you and the player opposite you are a team | | **You need** | A free account (email and password, or Google). Sign-in is remembered on your device | | **Works on** | Phone, tablet and desktop browsers; installable as an app. Live games need a connection | | **Languages** | Chinese and English interface, rules and tutorials | **On this page** - [Get started](#get-started) - [Play with friends](#play-with-friends) - [Read the table](#read-the-table) - [Play your turn](#play-your-turn) - [The rules in brief](#the-rules-in-brief) - [Practise against bots](#practise-against-bots) - [Watch the tutorial](#watch-the-tutorial) - [Install on your phone](#install-on-your-phone) - [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting) ## Get started 1. Open [Guandan](https://gd.micstec.com) and choose **Take a seat**. You can choose **Explore the rules** first without an account. 2. Sign in with email and password or **Sign in with Google**. Sign-in is remembered on your device. 3. In the lobby, choose how to play: - **Vs bots** — **You + a bot partner vs two bots**, starting immediately. - **Create table** — open a table for friends and share its code. - **Join table** — enter the six-character **Table code** from a friend. - **Open tables** — browse tables other players have listed and **Request to join**. 4. Use the top bar for **Language**, **Help**, **Install**, **Inbox** (notifications) and your account menu. ## Play with friends ### Host a table 1. Choose **Create table**, add a **Table name (optional)**, and create it. 2. Choose **Copy invite** to share the code or link. Friends enter it under **Join table**. 3. When at least two players are seated, choose **Start match**. If the table is not full, you are asked **Not full yet — start anyway?** — empty seats are filled by bots. 4. As host you can approve or reject **Join requests**, choosing which bot seat the newcomer takes over, and **Remove** a player. A removed player's seat is taken over by a bot so the game continues; **Allow back** lets them request to join again. 5. **List my tables publicly** (on by default) controls whether your table appears in **Open tables**. Tables idle for more than ten minutes are hidden. ### Join a table Choose **Join table** and enter the code, or open the invite link. To join a listed table, choose **Request to join** in **Open tables** and wait for the host to approve. You can join mid-game; you take over a bot's seat and hand. ### Table tools - **Table chat** for messages to everyone at the table (in a solo game it becomes **Contact admin**). - **Plays** — the current deal's play log. **Send data** sends the deal's data to the administrator if something looks wrong. - **Settings** — including **Advanced bots**. At shared tables, the host's setting applies. - **Step away (keep seat)** minimizes the table so you can come back; **Leave table** gives up your seat. The host can **End table** to dissolve it for everyone. ## Read the table - Your hand is at the bottom, your **Partner** at the top, and opponents left and right. A team colour band marks partners. - The top-left corner shows the deal number, the table status and the level being played (for example **打 7** — "playing 7s"). - The top-right corner lists both teams' current levels. **庄** marks the team whose level this deal plays. - The centre shows each player's last play, who leads, pass markers, and **First out** / **Last out** badges. - Player chips show each player's name, team, cards left and a glow when it is their turn. ## Play your turn 1. Tap cards to select them; tap again to deselect. 2. Choose **Play**. If the selection is not legal, the reason is shown — for example, it does not beat the previous play. 3. Choose **Pass** if you cannot or do not want to beat the current play. The player who starts a new trick cannot pass. 4. On a phone, all 27 cards fit in two rows, and **Play** / **Pass** float at the bottom of the screen. ## The rules in brief These are this app's fixed house rules; regional versions differ. Open **Help → Rules** for nine illustrated chapters with card examples. ### Setup and levels - Two decks (108 cards including four jokers) are shuffled on the server and dealt 27 to each player. - Each team has a **level**, starting at 2 and climbing to A. The level of the team whose deal it is becomes the **level rank**: it ranks above A and below the jokers. - **Wild cards:** the two hearts of the level rank (红桃级牌) are wild. They can stand in for any non-joker card to complete a combination, but cannot be combined with jokers. A wild played alone counts as the level rank. ### Legal combinations | Combination | Shape | | --- | --- | | **Single** | One card | | **Pair** | Two of the same rank (joker pairs must match: two small or two big jokers) | | **Triple** | Three of the same rank | | **Full house** | A triple plus a pair of a different rank | | **Straight** | Exactly five consecutive ranks (A can be low, A-2-3-4-5, or high, 10-J-Q-K-A; no wrapping, no jokers) | | **Consecutive pairs** | Exactly three consecutive pairs, such as 334455 | | **Plate** (钢板) | Exactly two consecutive triples, such as 777888 | | **Bombs** | Four or more of a kind, a straight flush, or all four jokers | To beat a play, you must play the **same combination type** (and length) with a **higher rank** — or any bomb strong enough. ### Bomb ladder (weakest to strongest) 4 of a kind → 5 of a kind → straight flush → 6 of a kind → 7 of a kind → 8 of a kind → **Heaven bomb** (all four jokers). Within the same grade, the higher rank wins. Every bomb beats every non-bomb. ### Tricks, passing and partner leads - When every other active player passes, the trick ends and the last player to play leads the next one. - If a player goes out with a play nobody beats, their **partner** leads next (接风) and may play any shape. ### Ending a deal and climbing The order in which players empty their hands sets the result: first out (上游), second, third and last out (下游). The deal ends when three players are out. The first-out team climbs: | First-out team's result | Levels gained | | --- | --- | | Both partners first and second | +3 | | First and third | +2 | | First and last | +1 | The first team to come out first while at level A wins the match, with a celebration. ### Tribute - There is no tribute in the first deal. - From the second deal, last out gives their **highest single card** to first out (the app picks it; you choose **Confirm tribute**). Wild hearts can be tribute. A player holding all four jokers in the new hand is exempt. - First out returns **any one card ≤ 10** to last out (**Return one card ≤ 10**). - Tribute is public: the received card is highlighted and announced. First out then leads. ## Practise against bots **Vs bots** pairs you with a bot partner against two bot opponents, and bots also fill empty seats at group tables. **Advanced bots** (on by default) plan their hands, count played cards, cooperate with their partner and use endgame tactics. Turn it off in the lobby or table **Settings** for the original, simpler strategy. ## Watch the tutorial This narrated English desktop walkthrough shows the actual game interface. Use the mobile or Chinese versions if they suit you better. The in-app **Help** also picks the right version automatically. [English mobile tutorial](https://gd.micstec.com/guandan-manual-mobile-en.mp4) · [Chinese desktop tutorial](https://gd.micstec.com/guandan-manual.mp4) · [Chinese mobile tutorial](https://gd.micstec.com/guandan-manual-mobile.mp4) ## Install on your phone Choose **Install** in the top bar. If no prompt appears, use the browser menu's **Add to Home screen**; on iPhone, tap **Share → Add to Home Screen**. The installed app starts faster and opens full screen. ## Troubleshooting | Problem | What to try | | --- | --- | | **Play** is rejected | Check that your cards form one legal combination of the same type and length as the previous play, with a higher rank — or play a bomb. | | **Table code should be 6 letters or digits** | Re-enter the code exactly as shared. | | My join request is pending | The host must approve it; it shows **Request sent — waiting for the host**. | | **You already host a table** | Opening a new table dissolves your old one. Return to your existing table instead, or confirm. | | **You were removed by the host** | Ask the host to **Allow back**, then request to join again. | | The table stopped updating | Check your connection and choose **Refresh**. | | Something looks wrong in a deal | Choose **Send data** in **Plays** so the administrator can review it, or write via **Contact admin**. |