Paskahousu

Infobox CardGame
title =Paskahousu
subtitle = Valepaska, Pöytäpaska
image_link =
image_caption =
alt_names = Paska, Hönö
type = Shedding-type
players = 3-6
ages =
num_cards = 52
deck = Anglo-American
play = Clockwise
card_rank = A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 (2 is special)
origin =Finland
related = Shithead, Bullshit
playing_time =
random_chance =
skills =
footnotes =

Paskahousu ("shitty pants") is a Finnish card game similar to Shithead. The object of the game is to play higher cards than the previously played cards, first to get replacement cards from the stock pile, and, after the stock pile has exhausted, to get rid of one's cards.

Although the basic play is the same across rule variants, the details of the rules vary tremendously. It is practically impossible to find two identical descriptions of the game in the literature. See the Miscellaneous rule variations section for how the rules can vary. One of the most widespread variants is Valepaska, in which the cards are played face down, and players need not announce their plays truthfully.

The Rules of Paskahousu

One deck of 52 cards is used, ace is the highest. The game is played by 3-6 players. Everyone is dealt five cards. The rest of the cards form a face-down stock. In each turn the player in turn places (one or more) cards of the same rank from his hand into a pile next to the stock according to the following rules.

* If the pile is empty, the player must play cards that are lower than jack. (Although, this rule varies, in some games player are allowed to play any card.)
* If the pile is not empty, the new cards must be of the same rank or of a higher rank than the previous cards in the pile.
* Twos can be played on the top of any card or on an empty table. Only another two can be played on the top of a two.
* If the top cards of the pile are lower than seven, the player is not allowed to play face cards.
* Aces can be played only on the top of face cards. Aces can also be played on the empty pile, but then the next player must pick it up, and the turn passes to the player left to him. Tens can also be played on empty pile, and as with the Aces, next player must pick it up.

If the player cannot or does not want to play cards according to the previous rules, he must take the entire pile in his hand. After the player has either played cards or taken the pile, turn passes to the next player.

If the player plays a ten or an ace the pile "falls". The pile "falls" also when a player plays cards so that there are four cards of a same rank on the top of the pile. When the pile "falls", the cards in the pile are discarded from play, and the same player plays the first cards to the now-empty pile. Ten causes pile with the previous card 3-9 fall, Ace causes pile with the previous card J-K. Ace cannot be played on 3-9, and Ten cannot be played on J-K.

If a player has fewer than five cards in his hand, he must take cards from the stock so that he has five cards (if there are cards left in the stock).

When a player gets rid of all his cards after the stock has exhausted, he is "out" and does not participate in the game anymore. The first player to go "out" is the winner. The loser is the player who has cards left when everyone else has gone "out". In some circles the loser is called paskahousu, "shitty pants".

Variants

Valepaska

In Valepaska ("Fake Shit", also known as Valepaskahousu and Kusetuspaskahousu) the cards are played face down, and when playing cards you announce which cards you play (for example "one jack" or "three eights"). You are allowed to lie, but other players are allowed to challenge your announcement. A challenge means that the cards you played are exposed. If you were honest, the challenger must take the pile in his hand (and it's your turn to start the new pile), and if you lied, you must take the pile (and the turn passes to the next player).

Only the latest play can be challenged.

Variant: After a challenge the next player in turn plays, except if the challenged player was honest and caused the pile fall, in which case he continues.

According to [http://www.korttipelit.net/Paskahousu www.korttipelit.net] there are no standard rules to determine who continues the play after a challenge. The author of the website recommends that an exposed liar must never continue, and a honest player who caused the pile fall must always be allowed to continue.

In some circles, notably in the English-language literature, Valepaska is called simply "Paskahousu".

Pöytäpaska

Pöytäpaska ("Table Shit") can be played by two or three players. The rules are the same as in Paskahousu, with the following additions. In addition to the hand, each player is dealt four cards face down and four cards face up on the table. They are played after the stock and the cards in your hand have exhausted. The cards face up are played before the cards face down. Note that you are allowed to see a face down card only when you (try to) play it. If it cannot be played according to the rules, you must take the card and the entire pile to your hand. If you must take the pile when playing the table cards, the pile becomes your hand cards, and you must get rid of your hand cards before you can continue playing from the table.

To avoid deadlocks, it may be advisable to use relaxed rules for playing face cards. See Miscellaneous Rule Variations for possible rules.

According to some rules, in Pöytäpaska ace does not fall the pile, ten can be played on the top of anything, aces and face cards can be played on the top of all smaller or equal cards, and anything can be played on the top of a two. According to some rules, the players are dealt only three hand cards and 3+3 table cards. If these rules are used, the game will be almost identical to Shithead.

Ruotsalainen paskahousu

In Ruotsalainen paskahousu ("Swedish Shitpants") all the cards are dealt, and there is no stock. The game proceeds like the ordinary Paskahousu.

Miscellaneous rule variations

These rules can be used with the basic game or with any of the variants mentioned above.

Four same cards fall piles

* Four twos do not cause the pile to "fall". (This rule is recommended in particular for "Valepaska".)
* Four same cards do not cause the pile to "fall". Only aces and tens "fall" piles.

Face cards

* Face cards can be only played on the top of eights and higher.
* Face cards can be played on the empty table and on the top of all smaller cards (except for twos.) Aces can be played on the top of the face cards.
* Face cards can be played on the empty table and on the top of all smaller cards (except for twos) after the stock has exhausted.
* Face cards can be played on the empty table and on the top of eights and higher.
* One is allowed to play only one face card per turn.

Aces and tens on an empty table

* A player is allowed to play an ace on an empty pile, but then the next player must take it and the same player plays again.
* A player is allowed to play an ace on an empty pile, but then the next player must take it, and the turn passes to the player left to him.
* Both tens and aces work like aces in the previous point.

Miscellaneous

* If you do not have a suitable card to play, you are allowed to try to play the top card of the stock. If it cannot be played according to the rules, you must take the pile (plus the card you tried to play).

See also

* Shithead
* Bullshit

References

* Ranta, Pekka, "Marjapussissa Porvooseen", WSOY 1993
* Parlett, David, "A-Z of Card Games", Oxford University Press, 2004
* [http://www.pagat.com/beating/paskahou.html www.pagat.com] The rules of Paskahousu.
* [http://www.korttipelit.net/Paskahousu www.korttipelit.net] The rules of Paskahousu (in Finnish).

External links

* [http://fi.wikibooks.org/wiki/Korttipelit/P%C3%B6yt%C3%A4paska Pöytäpaska] at Wikibooks (Finnish)