SKYJO Rules

Set up the round

Deal 12 face-down cards to each player. Arrange them in four vertical columns of three cards. Put one card face up to start the discard pile; the remaining cards become the face-down draw pile. Each player turns over any two cards in their layout.

Choose the starting player

For the first round, add each player's two revealed cards. The highest total starts. In later rounds, the player who ended the previous round starts.

Take a turn

Choose one of these two options:

• Take the top discard: swap it with any card in your layout. You may not look at a face-down card first. Put the replaced card face up on the discard pile.
• Draw from the deck: look at the card, then either swap it with any card in your layout, or discard it and reveal one of your face-down cards.

Play continues clockwise.

Clear matching columns

Whenever all three cards in one vertical column are revealed and have the same value, immediately discard the entire column. Those cards no longer count toward your score. This can also happen during the final scoring reveal.

Finish and score the round

The round ends when one player has revealed all remaining cards. Every other player gets one final turn. Then reveal all cards and total each player's remaining values, including negative cards.

Check the finisher's score

The player who ended the round must have the single lowest round score. If another player ties or beats that score, double the finisher's positive round points. Zero and negative round scores are never doubled.