This is a climbing game with many variations and therefore known by many names (Struggling Upstream, Pits, San Jia Xi, Huojian, Kuoppa). It's related to other climbing games like Dai Hin Min, Tien Len, Big Two and President.
The game is played with a 54-card pack including two jokers. Each player starts with a hand of cards and the object is to be the first to get rid of all your cards by playing combinations.
The game consists of playing combinations of cards: single cards, sets, single sequences and multiple sequences. When a player plays a combination, only a combination of the same type, length and higher rank can beat it - to beat a single sequence you must play a single sequence of the same length with higher ranking cards. Jokers are wild cards and can be used in any combinations. The Twos play a special role in this game and can be seen as semi-wild cards.
The player who gets rid of his cards first gets two points, the second player gets one point. You also get an extra advantage when finishing first or second, because the last and second to last player will have to give their best card away to them in the next hand.
Zheng Shangyou has a sizable luck element and the winner of a round has an advantage in the next round, but there is room for skillful play as the players learn how to best manage the cards they are dealt. The game plays best with five or six, but can be played by four or more. With 4 or 6 players, the game is usually played with two teams facing off against each other in partnerships.
Card Game · Hand Management, Ladder Climbing, Team-Based Game, Trick-taking
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