Nertz Card Game Rules: How to Play Nertz

These Nertz card game rules will turn your next game night into a happy, noisy race. Nertz (also called Nerts or Pounce) is competitive solitaire: every player works through their own deck at the same time, and anyone can play onto the shared piles in the middle of the table. There are no turns, so it is all about speed and sharp eyes. Below you will find the setup, step-by-step instructions, the Nertz card game scoring table and some favorite variations.

Quick rules

• Each player needs their own standard 52-card deck with a different back design.
• Each player deals a 13-card Nertz pile, four face-up work piles and keeps the remaining 35 cards as a stock.
• Everyone plays at once. Aces go to the center, and anyone can build center piles up in suit from ace to king.
• In your work piles, build down in alternating colors, as in classic solitaire.
• Turn your stock three cards at a time to find playable cards.
• The hand ends the moment someone empties their Nertz pile and calls "Nertz".
• Score +1 for each of your cards in the center and -2 for each card left in your Nertz pile. First to 100 wins.

What you need

• One standard 52-card deck per player, each with a different back so cards can be sorted after the hand.
• 2 to 6 players is ideal. More can play with a big table.
• A large table or floor space. The center area gets crowded.
• Paper and pencil, or our scoreboard.

Nertz setup

1. Each player shuffles their own deck.
2. Count out 13 cards face down into a pile and turn the top card face up. This is your Nertz pile.
3. Deal four cards face up in a row beside the Nertz pile. These start your four work piles.
4. Hold the remaining 35 cards face down. This is your stock.
5. Leave a clear space in the middle of the table for the center (foundation) piles, sometimes called the field.

How to play Nertz

Starting the hand

1. When everyone is set, one player calls "Go" and all players start at once.
2. Play with one hand only. Use it to move cards and turn your stock.

The center piles

1. Whenever you have an ace available, place it in the center to start a new pile.
2. Any player can add to any center pile. Cards must be the same suit and one rank higher: the 2 of hearts goes on the ace of hearts, then the 3 of hearts, and so on up to the king.
3. If two players try to play the same card at once, the card that lands first stays. The other player takes theirs back.
4. Only one card can be moved to the center at a time.

Your work piles

1. Build your work piles down in alternating colors. A red 8 can go on a black 9.
2. You may move the top card, or a whole run of cards, from one work pile to another if the bottom card of the run fits.
3. When a work pile is empty, fill it with any card, usually the top card of your Nertz pile.
4. Cards may move from your work piles to the center, but never back from the center.

Your Nertz pile and stock

1. The face-up card on your Nertz pile can be played to the center or onto one of your work piles. Turn the next Nertz card face up when you do.
2. Turn your stock three cards at a time onto a face-up waste pile. You may play the top card of the waste to the center or to a work pile.
3. When your stock runs out, turn the waste pile over, without shuffling, and go through it again. There is no limit on passes.

When everyone is stuck

1. If no player can make a move, everyone agrees to pause.
2. Each player moves the top card of their stock to the bottom (or reshuffles the stock) and play resumes on "Go".

Ending the hand

1. As soon as you play the last card from your Nertz pile, call "Nertz". All play stops immediately.
2. Sort the center cards by their back design and count them.

Nertz card game scoring

Example: you got 18 cards into the center and have 3 left in your Nertz pile. Your score for the hand is 18 minus 6, which is 12. The player who called "Nertz" does not automatically score the most, because points come from cards in the center. Some groups add a bonus of 10 points for going out, but that is a house rule.

How to win

Play hands until someone reaches 100 points. The player with the highest total at that point wins. If two players pass 100 in the same hand, the higher score wins.

Variations

• Nertz pile size: some groups use a 12-card Nertz pile, or 15 for a longer hand. Rule books differ on this, so agree before dealing.
• Five work piles: some families deal five work piles to make the game a little easier for younger players.
• Partners: two players share one deck and layout, one handling the stock and one the work piles.
• Lower target: play to 50 points for a quick game, or play a set number of hands.
• Pounce: the same game under another name. Some Pounce players turn the stock one card at a time instead of three.

Tips and strategy

• Focus on emptying your Nertz pile first. Every card left there costs you two points.
• Play to the center fast, but do not ignore your work piles. Opening space is how you free Nertz cards.
• Keep an eye on high center piles. If a pile has reached the 9 of spades, your 10 of spades is gold.
• Do not move cards to the center if you need them to hold a run in your work piles.
• Turn the stock steadily. Hesitating costs more time than a wasted flip.

House rules to agree first

• One hand only, or both hands allowed.
• Nertz pile of 12, 13 or 15 cards.
• Whether a bonus is given for calling "Nertz".
• How to break a stalemate: move the top stock card to the bottom, or reshuffle the stock.

Love fast games? Try Speed, Spit or Spoons, or brush up on classic solitaire to sharpen your building skills.