Introduction

The Malaysian King card game, known locally as "The King", is a popular game originating from Malaysia. It is typically played with 4 players, although there is a 3-player variant that is explained at the end of the rules. We learned this game from locals on the island of Tioman in 2016, and we owe all the credit to the wonderful people of Malaysia for sharing this fun game with us 😊.

Objective

The goal of the Malaysian King card game is to have the fewest points at the end of the tournament.

Terminology

• Round: A sequence of turns where players play cards until no one can or wants to play a higher card.
• Game: A full cycle where one player runs out of cards, ending that game. It is made up of multiple rounds.
• Tournament: Multiple games. The tournament ends when a player reaches a set number of points, after a set time limit, or by mutual agreement.

Setup

1. Deck: The game uses a standard deck of 52 cards.
2. Dealing: Each player receives 13 cards.
3. Starting the Game: The player with the Queen of Hearts starts the first round.

Card Values

Nominal Values (Rank)

Cards are ranked from 3 (lowest) to 2 (highest):

3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-J-Q-K-A-2

Suit Values

Suits are ranked from lowest to highest as follows:

1. Diamonds
2. Clubs