How to Play Sly3 — The Card Game
Goal: Get rid of all your cards first.
Set Up
Deal each player 3 cards face down (the Sly Cards), 3 cards face up on top of them (the Open Cards), and 3 cards in hand.
No peeking at Sly Cards! They stay completely hidden until played.
Swap
Before play begins, everyone can swap any or all cards between their Hand and their Open Cards. Use this to put your best cards face-up where you can plan around them.
Play Equal or Higher
Whoever's left of the dealer goes first and can lead with any card. On your turn, play a card equal to or higher than the top card on the Play Pile — except on a 7 (see Special Cards).
If you can't play a legal card, pick up the whole Play Pile and add it to your hand.
Stay at 3: Any time you have fewer than 3 cards in hand after playing, draw back up to 3 from the Draw Pile.
Three Phases
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Phase 1 — Hand
Play from your Hand, drawing back to 3 after each play, until the Draw Pile is empty and you have no cards left in hand.
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Phase 2 — Open Cards
Play directly from your face-up Open Cards. You don't pick them up into your hand. If you can't play, add the whole Play Pile to your hand and you may take one Open Card into your hand.
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Phase 3 — Sly Cards
Flip your face-down Sly Cards blind onto the Play Pile. If the card plays legally, play continues. If not, pick up the Play Pile and add it to your hand.
Remember: Any time you pick up the pile, you must play your entire hand before returning to your Open or Sly Cards.
Special Cards
7 and 9 still have to beat the top card (you can't play a 9 on a 10) — but they each trigger a power.
Forces the next player to play a 7 or lower.
Skips the next player. The following player must still beat a 9.
Orange Wild Cards play on anything — anytime it's your turn.
Your escape hatch. After it lands, the next player can play anything.
Removes the Play Pile from the game entirely. Whoever Swiped goes again.
Special Rules
Stacks: You can play multiple cards of the same value at once.
Four of a Kind: Any time four or more of the same card are played in a row (across turns), that acts as a Swipe and clears the pile. The last player to contribute goes again. When four or more 9s are played together, they act as a Swipe instead of skipping.
Chaos Rule (recommended ages 10+): If you hold a card that exactly matches the top of the Play Pile, you can play it out of turn — immediately, without waiting. Play then continues to your left, skipping anyone who was waiting. Swipes are the exception — since they clear the pile, there's nothing on top to match.