Chinchon Rules — Complete Guide

Chinchón is a Spanish rummy-family card game for 2 to 4 players, each playing individually, using a 40-card deck (no 8s, no 9s, no jokers). On your turn you draw from the stock or the discard pile and discard one card; combinations (sets and same-suit runs) are only revealed when someone closes. You may close with 5 deadwood points or fewer; reaching 100 penalty points eliminates you and the last player standing wins.

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Deck and players

The Spanish 40-card deck is used: the suits are oros (coins), copas (cups), espadas (swords) and bastos (clubs), and the cards run from 1 (ace) to 7, followed by sota (10), caballo (11) and rey (12). No 8s, no 9s and no jokers.

From 2 to 4 players take part, each on their own (no partnerships). Each player is dealt 7 cards and the next card of the stock is turned face up to start the discard pile.

A turn: draw and discard

On your turn you draw exactly one card:

You draw fromDetail
Stock (face down)The top card of the stock
Discard pile (face up)The most recently discarded card

Then you discard one card face up onto the pile, so you are always back to 7 cards in hand. Combinations are never laid on the table during the hand: they are only revealed when someone closes.

Combinations: sets and runs

A set is 3 (or 4) cards of the same rank, in any suits. A run is 3 or more consecutive cards of the same suit.

In runs the order is 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-sota-caballo-rey: the ace only links to the 2 and the rey is the high end (no wrap-around). Because the deck has no 8s or 9s, the 7 links directly to the sota.

Chinchón: the top play

If your 7 cards form a single same-suit run (for example 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 of coins), you have a chinchón: the hand ends instantly and you win the whole match, whatever the score.

Closing the hand (5 points or fewer)

After drawing, if your uncombined cards total 5 points or fewer you may close: you discard one card and show your hand. The other players then arrange their hands as best they can.

Players who did not close may lay their leftover cards onto the closer's combinations (the fourth card of a set, or either end of a run) — unless the closer melded all 7 cards, in which case no layoffs are allowed.

Scoring and elimination

At the end of the hand every player scores the value of their uncombined cards as penalty points:

ItemPoints
Uncombined cards 1 to 7Face value
Uncombined sota, caballo or rey10
Closing with all 7 cards melded−10 for the closer
Reaching 100 pointsYou are eliminated

The last player still in the game wins. If everyone passes 100 points in the same hand, the player with the lowest total wins (on a tie, whoever closed that hand).

Quick tips for beginners

Close early: a hand closed with 5 points usually beats chasing the perfect hand, because every extra turn is a chance for a rival to close first.

Prefer runs over sets: a 7-card same-suit run is a chinchón and wins the match on the spot.

Don't discard cards that link into visible runs — you are handing your opponent free points.

Watch your score: at 90 points one bad hand eliminates you, so sometimes closing with 5 is better than gambling.

Frequently asked questions

How many cards are used in Chinchón?

A Spanish 40-card deck: 1-7, sota (10), caballo (11) and rey (12), with no 8s, no 9s and no jokers.

How many players play Chinchón?

From 2 to 4 players, and each of them plays individually — no partnerships or teams.

How many cards does each player get?

7 cards each; on your turn you draw one and discard one, so you always hold 7 cards.

What does closing mean in Chinchón?

Closing ends the hand after you draw, when your uncombined cards total 5 points or fewer: you discard one card and reveal your hand.

How much is each card worth?

Cards 1 to 7 count their face value; sota, caballo and rey count 10 points each.

What is a chinchón?

It is the top play: all 7 cards forming a single same-suit run. It wins the match instantly.

What happens if I close with every card melded?

You get a −10 point bonus and no opponent may lay cards off onto your combinations.

What is the target score?

The match is played by elimination to 100 points: reaching 100 eliminates you and the last player standing wins.

Can I play Chinchon online for free?

Yes — you can play Chinchon free at chinchon.yeeqia.com straight in your browser, no download or sign-up required.

Does it work on mobile?

Yes, the site is mobile-first and runs in any modern browser, with full Spanish and English support.