OFFICIAL RULES
How to Play
Five hands. One opponent. Win the battle.
STEP 1
Choose the dealer
Players first decide who deals the opening game — by mutual agreement, drawing for high card, or any method both accept. The deal then alternates after every game.
The dealer shuffles a standard 52-card deck (no jokers). Online and against the computer, the shuffle is produced electronically and is fully random.
STEP 2
Deal five mirrored top cards
The dealer places the top card of the shuffled deck face-up in front of the opponent, then one face-up in front of themselves, in the opposite (mirror) position. This continues until each player has five “top cards” — the foundations of five battles.
STEP 3
Build your hands, one card at a time
The dealer deals one card face-down to the opponent and one face-down to themselves. The non-dealer always acts first: they look at their card and must lay it face-up on one of their five piles. The dealer then does the same. This repeats for every card.
Each pile grows from the top card down into a five-card poker hand that fights the mirrored opponent pile: your Battle 1 vs their Battle 1, and so on.
A card laid is a card played. Once placed, a card is locked and can never be moved.
STEP 4
The fifth card stays face-down
No pile may hold more than five cards. The fifth and final card on any pile is placed face-down and stays secret until the showdown.
STEP 5
Showdown
Each game uses 50 of the 52 cards. When the last card is placed, every face-down card is turned over and the completed hands are revealed against their mirrors.
Standard poker rankings decide each battle — high card up through royal flush, with kickers breaking ties. The player who wins more of the five battles wins the game. Win all five and that's a SUNK.
HOUSE RULES
Variations
Any variation must be announced and accepted by both players before the first deal. The app supports the following official variations:
- One Redraw. Since only 50 of 52 cards are used, each player may reject one dealt card per game and request a replacement. The non-dealer must use it before the dealer acts; the dealer uses it when the action is on them.
- Series formats. Instead of a single game, play a best 3 of 5 series, or a race to 50 points — each battle won scores a point, and the first player to 50 total points takes it.
- SUNK bonus. Extra points for winning all five battles in a single game.
- Royalties. Extra points for premium hands revealed at showdown: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, and Four of a Kind.
- Side and prop bets. Players may agree on extra wagers on any event that may or may not occur during the game. These are settled between the players — the app never handles money.
Solo & heads-up
Play heads-up against a friend online, or solo against the virtual opponent — the rules are identical either way.