Gamehelprainbowallplay

Rainbow

Overview

Rainbow is a trick-taking card game of sets, runs, and timing.

Each trick:

• Every player plays 1 combo from their hand
• Players then claim point cards from the middle
• The player who played the biggest combo chooses first

After each trick:

• All played cards become the point cards for the next trick

The game continues until multiple players run out of cards.

The player with the most points wins.

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Goal

Make a rainbow...

...and collect the pot of gold at the end!

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Components

• 60 Rainbow cards
  • Ranks 1–6
  • 10 of each rank

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Playable Combos

Single

• Any 1 card

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Set

• 2 or more cards of the same rank

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Run

• 2 or more cards of consecutive ranks

Examples:

• 2, 3
• 1, 2, 3, 4
• 3, 4, 5, 6

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Setup

1. Shuffle the deck.
2. Deal 1 face-up card per player into the middle.
3. Arrange them from lowest to highest.

Deal cards based on player count:

Players	Face-Up Cards	Hand Size
3	3	14
4	4	14
5	5	11
6	6	9

3-player game:

• Set leftover cards aside face-down

2-player game:

• See 2-Player Variant

1. The player who most recently saw a rainbow leads the first trick.

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Playing a Trick

The lead player:

• Plays any legal combo from their hand

Play continues clockwise.

Each player must play 1 combo.

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Combo Restrictions

At the start of a trick:

• Any combo may be played

Once a Set has been played:

• Players may only play:
  • A Single
  • A Set

Once a Run has been played:

• Players may only play:
  • A Single
  • A Run

Important:

• You do NOT need to beat previously played combos
• You only need to play a legal combo

• You may always play a Single

• If you have no other legal play:
  • You must play a Single

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Scoring a Trick

After all players have played:

Players claim point cards from the middle.

Players choose in order:

• Biggest combo first
• Smallest combo last

Biggest combo = most cards played

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Tie Breakers

If players played combos of the same size:

1st Tie Breaker

• Highest individual card

2nd Tie Breaker

• Earlier played combo

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Point Cards

First Trick Only

Each player chooses:

• 1 single point card

Do NOT stack pairs during the first trick.

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All Later Tricks

Each player chooses either:

• 1 single

OR

• 1 pair of matching rank

Each card is worth:

• Points equal to its rank

Examples:

• Rank 2 = 2 points
• Pair of 5s = 10 points

Players keep point cards in a face-down score pile.

Players may look at their own score piles at any time.

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Preparing the Next Trick

After scoring:

1. Move all played cards to the middle.

1. Organize cards:

• Pair matching ranks
• Leave extras as singles

Example:

• Five 3s become:
  • Two pairs
  • One single

1. Arrange all singles and pairs:

• Lowest total points → highest total points

1. If there are more point piles than players:

• Discard piles from the lowest end
• Continue until there are equal piles and players

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Next Lead Player

The player who played the biggest combo:

• Leads the next trick

If that player has no cards left:

• The next player clockwise leads instead

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Game End

At the end of a trick:

If only 1 player is out of cards:

• The game continues

That player:

• Skips future turns
• Can no longer claim point cards

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If 2 or more players are out of cards:

• The game ends immediately

Players total all points.

Highest score wins.

Tie:

• Victory is shared

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2-Player Variant

Setup

1. Deal 4 face-up cards to the middle.
2. Deal 2 piles of 14 cards to each player.

Each player:

• Takes 1 pile into hand
• Keeps the other face-down without looking

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Gameplay

Each trick:

• Each player plays 2 combos
• One at a time
• Starting with the lead player

If a Set or Run is played:

• Both players must follow it
• Or play a Single

Each combo scores separately.

Each combo may claim:

• A single

OR

• A pair

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Empty Hand Rule

If a player runs out of cards:

• They immediately take their face-down pile

If they run out again:

• The game ends

The other player scores:

• +1 point per card left in hand

Rank does not matter.

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Tips & Clarifications

• For the first trick:
  • All point cards stay as singles

• You never have to beat previous combos

• Singles are always legal

• There may be fewer point piles than players
  • Some players may score 0 points

• Largest possible run:
  • 6 cards (1–6)

• Largest possible set:
  • 10 cards

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Strategy Tips

• Bigger combos score earlier—but empty your hand faster.
• Singles are flexible and can save awkward hands.
• Sometimes taking a smaller point card now creates a stronger middle for later.
• Watch who is running low on cards.

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Credits

• Design: Mito Sazuki
• Illustration: Sai Beppu
• Graphic Design: Anca Gavril
• Rules Editing: Jeff Fraser