Daifugō 大富豪
Daifugō (Big Rich Man) is Japan's most popular casual card game. Climb by playing higher singles, pairs, or combinations; empty your hand first to become Daifugō. The card exchange between rounds turns ranking into playful hierarchy.
Rules
52 cards plus one joker. Rank: 2 highest, then A, K, Q, J, 10 down to 3. Deal all; 3 of clubs leads. Play singles, pairs, triples, quads, or sequences; must beat or pass. Last to play leads next round. Finish order: Daifugō, Fugo, Heimin, Hinmin, Daihinmin. Between rounds: poor give best cards to rich for weak ones. Common options: revolution (four of a kind reverses rank), 8-giri (8 resets), joker as highest, eleven-back, lock (suit lock after sequence).
History
Chinese climbing games (Sheng Ji, Zheng Shangyou); Japan 1970s–80s. National popularity 1980s–90s; regional rule explosion. Related to President/Scum. Digital on LINE Games and apps; still the go-to game for students and office workers.
Tips for beginners
Save 2s and jokers for blocking, not leading. Shed low cards in early pairs to keep flexibility. What the Daifugō gives you in the exchange tells you what they didn't need—use that to read the table.
Cultural context
School trips, company parties, train journeys. Regional rules as local identity; every prefecture has house rules. Quintessential Japanese social card game. LINE Games and app versions. Daifugō uses a standard 52-card deck plus joker; the card exchange between rounds creates hierarchy and revenge dynamics. The game is often played for fun rather than stakes; regional variants (revolution, 8-giri, lock) add variety. Related to President/Scum; international players recognise the climbing-game structure.
Where to Buy or Play
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- 🃏 Standard Playing Cards with Joker Daifugō requires a standard 52-card deck plus one Joker
- 🃏 Daifugo Card Game (dedicated deck) Purpose-printed Daifugō decks with ranking guide