A Vietnamese climbing-card guide focused on beating the table, using bombs well, and shedding all 13 cards first.
52
cards · standard deck
13
cards dealt to each player
4
players · empty hand to win
Section 01 · The deck
A standard deck of 52.
Tiến Lên (Thirteen) uses one ordinary playing-card deck — no jokers. Four suits of thirteen cards. Hover or tap any card to see what it is.
Filter:
Hover or tap a card
Each rank appears once per suit. The 3♠, the lowest card, starts the first game.
Section 02 · Card ranking
Why 2 is the boss.
In Tiến Lên (Thirteen), the rank order is two-high: threes are the weakest card; twos are the strongest.
♥›♦›♣›♠Southern Tiến Lên suit order for equal ranks.
Section 03 · The goal
Empty your hand first.
Each player starts with thirteen cards. Beat the current play with the same type and card count,
or pass. Once you pass, you sit out until the trick clears, unless you can re-enter with a valid
bomb against a 2. The unbeaten player leads the next trick.
①
Whoever holds 3♠ leads the first game.
Their opening play must include the 3 of spades.
②
Beat the table — or pass.
Same type and card count, normally. Bombs are the exception against 2s.
③
Passing locks you out of the current trick.
When everyone else is out, the unbeaten player leads a new combination.
④
First to zero cards wins this online round.
This casual version ends when the first player empties their hand.
Section 04 · Combinations
The core Tiến Lên play shapes.
Singles, pairs, and triples climb the same shape. Sequences can contain three or more cards,
but a sequence can only answer another sequence with the same number of cards.
Single
1 card
Beat with any single of higher rank (or same rank in a higher suit).
Pair
2 cards · same rank
Beat with a higher-ranked pair. Highest suit breaks ties.
Triple
3 cards · same rank
Beat with a higher-ranked triple. Suits don't tie-break here.
Sequence
3 or more consecutive ranks
Compare the highest card. A sequence cannot turn from 2 back to 3.
Section 05
· Sequences and bombs
Long runs, paired runs, and two-bombs.
Tiến Lên has no flush or full-house ladder. Instead, sequences may be three cards or longer,
double sequences contain three or more consecutive pairs, and four specific bombs can cut
singles, pairs, or triples of 2s.
①
Sequence
Three or more consecutive ranks; mixed suits are allowed.
②
Double sequence
Three or more consecutive pairs, such as 3-3-4-4-5-5.
③
Four of a kind cuts one 2
A standalone set of four matching ranks can beat any single 2.
④
Pair-sequence bombs
Three consecutive pairs cut one 2; four consecutive pairs cut a pair of 2s.
⑤
Five-pair bomb
Five consecutive pairs can cut a triple of 2s. Bombs may re-enter after a pass.
Section 06
· Valid vs. invalid
What plays — and what doesn't.
Here are some quick-fire examples of legal plays alongside common mistakes new players make.
Legal plays
Pair of sevens — clean, same rank.
A five-card sequence is legal; sequences may be three cards or longer.
Three consecutive pairs form a double sequence and can cut one 2.
Not allowed
Two cards, different ranks — that's not a pair.
Four unrelated cards are not a sequence or matching set.
Sequences cannot turn the corner from 2 back to 3.
Section 07 · Try it
Now play a quick round.
A live solo demo against three AI opponents. Pick cards, hit Play, and put what you just learned into practice.