Sevens
Build up and down from each seven and be the first to empty your hand.
How to play Sevens
The whole deck is dealt to you and three computer players. Whoever holds the seven of diamonds lays it down to start, and each suit builds outward from its seven in a row: upward eight, nine, ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace and downward six, five, four, three, two, Ace. On your turn you may play any seven to open a new suit, or a card that sits directly next to the exposed end of a row of the same suit. Playable cards are highlighted; if you have none, press Pass. The first player to get rid of every card wins, and the rest are ranked by how many cards they have left.
Building the four fans outward
Sevens, which you will also see called Fan Tan or Parliament, is a shedding game with a tidy layout. The four sevens are its spine. Once the seven of diamonds hits the table to get things going, every suit grows outward from its own seven: upward through eight, nine, ten and the court cards to the Ace, and downward through six, five, four, three, two and back to the Ace. You can only ever play a card that sits directly next to an exposed end of its suit's row. The whole deck is dealt between you and three computer players, so everyone works from a full hand and nothing is hidden in a stock. On your turn you lay down a seven to open a fresh suit, extend a row with the next card in sequence, or press Pass if you can do neither.
Think in stoppers
The card that turns decent players into winners is the stopper: a card you hold that the whole table is waiting on. Say you hold the nine of spades. Every spade above the eight (ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace) is frozen until your nine goes down, no matter who holds them. That is real power, and the classic play is to sit on the stopper while you quietly shed cards in your free suits, then release it only when the unblocking helps you more than anyone else. Now flip it around: your own Kings and Aces are hostages to other people's stoppers. Count what stands between each of your extreme cards and the middle. A hand with an Ace and only one gap card to bridge is fine; an Ace behind four missing cards is a lead weight, and dumping the suits around it early is how you avoid being stuck with it at the end.
Holding and releasing
- A seven is a key you control. Open a suit when the cards near its seven are mostly yours; hold the seven when they are mostly not.
- Playing an eight invites whoever holds the nine to move. Before extending a row, ask who that invitation really helps.
- Clear the path to your extremes early. A King is worthless until its whole row is built up to it.
- Passing on purpose is legal and often right. Holding a card that would free a rival is a genuine move, even when the game highlights it as playable.
A worked turn
Picture this common squeeze. Hearts are built up to the ten. You hold the Jack of hearts, the Queen of hearts, and the seven of clubs, and in clubs you hold nothing else. Playing the Jack looks natural, but check what it opens: only your own Queen, since you hold the next card up. That makes it a free move, so take it, and next turn the Queen follows. The club seven is the opposite case. You hold no other clubs, so opening that suit does nothing for you and hands eight players' worth of frozen club cards to the table. Keep it in your pocket as long as the rules allow you another legal play. That one habit, checking who each card really serves before you play it, is most of the strategy in this game, and it takes about two seconds a turn once it becomes routine.
First one out
The race is simple: empty your hand before anyone else does. Everyone left holding cards is ranked by how many they are stuck with, so even in a lost game, dumping your biggest logjams matters for second place. The game itself is an old British and American parlour favourite. The name Fan Tan was borrowed in America from an unrelated Chinese betting game, while British players have long called it Sevens or Parliament, after the way the cards line up in orderly rows like members on their benches. It rewards a little patience. Size up your hand at the deal: count your sevens, spot your stoppers, and find your worst stranded extreme, because those three things decide your plan before the first card falls. The players who think about which cards they are freeing for the table, rather than playing the first highlighted option, are the ones who finish first.
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Sevens: frequently asked questions
Is Sevens the same as Fan Tan or Parliament?
Yes. Sevens is known by several names (Fan Tan, Parliament, Domino and Card Dominoes), but the rules are the same: build each suit up and down from its seven and shed your whole hand.
What can I play on my turn?
You can play any seven to start that suit, or a card one rank above or below the exposed end of a suit already on the table. Only cards of the matching suit extend a row, and the game highlights every legal move for you.
What happens if I cannot make a move?
If none of your cards can be played you must pass by pressing the Pass button, and play moves to the next person. Holding a key card such as an Ace or King can block a suit, so timing your plays matters.
How do I win at Sevens?
Be the first to play every card in your hand. When someone goes out the remaining players are ranked by how many cards they are still holding, so keep your hand flowing and avoid getting stuck.
Who plays first in Sevens?
Whoever was dealt the seven of diamonds must lay it down to begin. From there the other suits open as their own sevens get played, and turns pass around the four players.
How does each suit build?
Outward from its seven in both directions, up through eight, nine, ten, Jack, Queen, King and finally the Ace, and down through six, five, four, three, two and the Ace. You extend a row only at its open end.
What if I cannot play anything?
You press Pass. If none of your cards sit next to an exposed row end and you have no seven to lay down, your turn is skipped, which is why holding cards that free up your own plays matters so much.
Should I always play a card when I can?
Not necessarily. Sometimes holding a card that would open a row for an opponent is smarter than playing it. Passing on purpose to deny a rival their next move is a genuine tactic here.
What is a stopper?
A card the table cannot build past until you play it, like a nine when the row stands at eight. Holding a stopper freezes every card above it in that suit, so timing its release is the biggest lever you have.
How is the winner decided?
The first player to shed every card wins outright. Everyone else is ranked by how many cards they are left holding, so keeping your leftover count low is worth playing for even in a losing hand.
Is Sevens free to play?
Yes. Sevens is completely free on Inkplay, with no download, no sign-up, and no in-game purchases. Open the page and play instantly on desktop or mobile.
Can I play Sevens unblocked?
Yes. Sevens runs entirely in your browser with no download, install, or plugins, so it loads instantly and keeps working even on school or work networks where bigger game sites get blocked.
More games to play
In the mood for more? Try Chess, Tic Tac Toe, Connect Four, Reversi, or browse all board games and the full games list on Inkplay. Sevens also appears in Card Games.