MarsMatch Game Rules

(Version 33)

I. Game Overview

MarsMatch is an N-player competitive card game (N ≥ 2) based on standard playing cards (54 cards per deck), satisfying the condition that the number of players equals N (i.e., N players use N decks). All cards are cross-deck shuffled, and each player is randomly dealt 54 cards.

The First Dealer and the First Player (Dealer) are determined by random draw before the game begins; both dealing and play proceed clockwise. The Wind-Chaser order is also determined by random draw before the game begins.

Each game is divided into two phases: the Initial Phase and the Match Phase. In the Initial Phase, based on the randomness of the deal, players who obtain a Heavenly Hand directly win and exit. The remaining players enter the Match Phase, continuing the game through strategy and hand combinations until the end.

II. Game Objectives

1. Initial Phase

A. If the Dealer (the player with the right to play first) holds a Heavenly Hand, they win directly.

B. After the Dealer wins with a Heavenly Hand, if other players also hold a Heavenly Hand, they are considered "Non-Dealer Heavenly Hands" and win alongside the Dealer.

C. If the Dealer does not hold a Heavenly Hand but other players do, the "Seize Heaven" mechanism is triggered.

D. If multiple "Non-Dealer Heavenly Hands" and multiple Seize Heaven players appear, they all win together, scored according to their respective hand types.

E. Players holding a Heavenly Hand, "Non-Dealer Heavenly Hands," and Seize Heaven winners exit the game, concluding the Initial Phase.

2. Match Phase

A. The match is a three-round system: each player, in turn, chooses to play or pass. One complete round consists of all surviving players making one choice.

B. Round 1 contests the "Earth" or "Seize Earth" titles. Round 2 is a regular round. Round 3 uses the Sudden End method to contest the "Human" title.

C. After the first winner (Human) emerges in Round 3, the game ends immediately. The remaining players are Vanquished.

D. All players in each game are divided into Winners and Vanquished, each scoring according to the scoring rules.

E. The hand type priority in this phase is: Ship > Super Drone > Drone > Parallel Types: Lone Boat / Starship / Rocket / Pair Straight.

III. Deck and Single Card Order

1. Deck

Uses one standard 54-card deck, including 2 Jokers (Big Joker, Small Joker), 13 ranks (2-A), in 4 suits.

2. Single Card Order

From highest to lowest: Big Joker > Small Joker > 2 > A > K > Q > J > 10 > 9 > 8 > 7 > 6 > 5 > 4 > 3

IV. Hand Types

[Heavenly Hands] (Triggered in Initial Phase, win directly, do not enter Match Phase)

1. Mars Mothership (Super Wild Card)
a. Consists of exactly 7 cards of rank 2.
b. The holder triggers the Heavenly Hand mechanism in the Initial Phase, winning directly without entering the Match Phase.
c. If the hand contains more or fewer than 7 cards of rank 2, it is invalid, and the 2s must be used in other hand types (such as Drones, Rockets, Pairs, Singles, etc.).

2. UFO (Four Great Jokers)
a. Consists of exactly two Big Jokers and two Small Jokers.
b. The holder triggers the Heavenly Hand mechanism in the Initial Phase, winning directly without entering the Match Phase.
c. If the hand contains more or fewer than two Big Jokers and two Small Jokers, the UFO is invalid and must be split into a Ship (double Jokers) or a Lone Boat (single Joker).

3. Star Chain
a. Consists of exactly 6 cards of rank 3.
b. The holder triggers the Heavenly Hand mechanism in the Initial Phase, winning directly without entering the Match Phase.
c. If the hand contains more or fewer than 6 cards of rank 3, the Star Chain is invalid and must be split into other hand types (e.g., combining extra 3s with other cards).

[Match Hand Types] (Ranked from highest to lowest)

1. "Joker" Category

A. Ship
a. Consists of two Jokers. Double Big Jokers > Big + Small Jokers > Double Small Jokers.
b. It is the highest hand type in the Match Phase, capable of beating all other hand types.

B. Lone Boat (Single Joker)
a. Among single cards, no card is greater than a single Joker. Big Joker > Small Joker.
b. Can be played with 1 single card or 1 pair as an attachment.
c. A Big Joker with any same-rank attachment beats a Small Joker with any same-rank attachment.
d. If the same Joker is played with an attachment, compare the rank of the attached cards.
e. Can be played without an attachment.
f. Cannot be paired with a "2".
g. Cannot be used as a kicked card (i.e., cannot be carried as an attachment in other hand types).

h. Can be beaten by Ship, Super Drone, and Drone.

2. "2" Category (Wild Card)

A. Among single cards, it is greater than A and less than a Joker.
B. Can substitute for other rank cards, with the following exceptions:
a. Cannot be paired with a "Joker".
b. Cannot substitute to form the main part of a Starship (4 cards of the same rank).
c. Cannot substitute for other rank cards to form a Super Drone or Drone.
C. A "2" can substitute for any rank card in Straights, Pair Straights, Rocket Chains, and Starship Chain attachments without quantity limit, but must satisfy the consecutiveness of the sequence (rank range 3 to A).
D. "2" can form the Mars Mothership Heavenly Hand (exactly 7 cards of rank 2). See [Heavenly Hands] section, item 1.

3. Drone Category

A. Super Drone (Super Bomb)
a. Consists of exactly 3 cards of rank 3. (More or fewer than 3 must be used in other hand types).
b. Beats any hand type except the Ship.

B. Drone (Bomb)
a. Consists of 4 or more cards of the same rank.
b. More cards beat fewer cards.
c. With the same number of cards, compare the rank.
d. Beats any hand type except the Super Drone.
e. Four or more "2"s can form a Natural Drone, which is the highest Drone of that quantity.

4. Sequence Category

A. Pair: Consists of two cards of the same rank.
B. Pair Straight (Double Straight): Consists of 3 or more consecutive Pairs (from "3" to "A").
C. "2" can substitute for any card in these without restriction, but must satisfy the consecutiveness of the sequence.

5. Attachment Category

A. Rocket
a. Consists of a set of 3 cards of the same rank.
b. Can be formed by two or more consecutive sets (from "3" to "A").
c. Each set can carry 1 single card or 1 pair as an attachment.
d. Can be played without attachments.
e. "2" can substitute for any card in these without restriction, but must satisfy the consecutiveness of the chain.

B. Starship
a. Consists of 4 cards of the same rank. ("2" cannot substitute for the main body).
b. Can be formed by two or more consecutive sets (from "3" to "A").
c. Each set can carry 2 single cards or 2 pairs as attachments. ("2" can substitute for attached cards).
d. Can be played without attachments.

V. Game Flow

1. Preparation Phase

A. Fairness: The game adheres to the principle of fairness. Before each game, a completely random draw determines the First Player, the First Dealer, and the order of the Wind-Chasers.
B. Randomness: Each player gets a deck of 54 cards. The game will mix and shuffle cards, with random drawing; dealing and playing proceed clockwise according to the draw results.

2. Initial Phase (Game of Chance)

A. When a Dealer Heavenly Hand, Non-Dealer Heavenly Hand, or Seize Heaven hand type appears, the system automatically declares the winner(s).
B. After the Heavenly Hand (or Seize Heaven) directly wins, this phase ends, and the remaining players enter the Match Phase.

No Heavenly Hand Start Rule:
If no player holds a Heavenly Hand in the Initial Phase, the pre-drawn Dealer gets the right to play first and directly enters the Match Phase.

3. Match Phase (Game of Skill)

A. Turn Play
In each round, the current player plays clockwise, and other players react in order ("Play" or "Pass"). For identical ranks or hand types, the first played is greater. One round is complete when all surviving players have made one choice.

B. Round 1 · Earth and Seize Earth

1.Earth Determination: After the Heavenly Hand (or Seize Heaven) wins, the designated Wind-Chaser gets the first play right. If this player plays all their cards in one go on their first play, they become the Earth, win directly, and exit. This round ends.

2.Seize Earth Determination: If Earth is not achieved, this round continues. In play order, the first player to achieve "clear their hand in two consecutive plays" becomes Seize Earth, wins, and exits. This round ends.

3.Regular Play: If neither Earth nor Seize Earth occurs, this round follows the regular play flow until the round ends.

C. Round 2 · Regular Play

1.After Round 1 ends, the Wind-Chaser starts the play.

2.All surviving players, in turn, choose to play or pass. There are no special win conditions until this round ends.

D. Round 3 · Human and "Sudden End"

1.After Round 2 ends, the Wind-Chaser starts the play.

2.The first player to play all their cards is the "Human".

3.The moment the Human is born, the game is forced to end immediately.

4.All remaining players are declared "Vanquished".

4. Endgame

After the Human is born in Round 3, the game ends immediately. The remaining players are Vanquished.

5. Definition of "Clear Hand in Two Consecutive Plays"

After a player plays a hand type and all other surviving players choose to pass, that player immediately gets the next play opportunity and clears their entire hand within these two consecutive plays.

6. Wind-Chaser Sequence

The pre-drawn Wind-Chaser order is a circular queue. Each time a Wind-Chaser is needed, the next surviving player is taken from the sequence in order. If the sequence is exhausted, it restarts from the beginning.

VI. Win/Loss Determination

1. Heavenly Hands (Do Not Enter Match Phase)

A. Dealer Direct Win Mechanism
After dealing, if the Dealer's initial hand holds any of the following complete hand types, it is a Heavenly Hand, and they win directly:
a. Mars Mothership: Consists of exactly 7 cards of rank 2.
b. UFO (Four Great Jokers): Consists of exactly two Big Jokers and two Small Jokers.
c. Star Chain: Consists of exactly 6 cards of rank 3.

B. Non-Dealer Heavenly Hand Win Mechanism
a. After the Dealer wins with a Heavenly Hand, if other players hold a Heavenly Hand, they are "Non-Dealer Heavenly Hands" and win alongside the Dealer.
b. If multiple "Non-Dealer Heavenly Hands" appear, they all win, scored according to their respective hand types.

C. Seize Heaven Win Mechanism
a. If the Dealer does not hold a Heavenly Hand, but other players do, the "Seize Heaven" mechanism is triggered.
b. If multiple Seize Heaven players appear, they all win, scored according to their respective hand types.

2. Match Phase (Actual Match after Heavenly Hand Wins)

A. Earth Win Mechanism
After the Initial Phase, the Wind-Chaser with the first play right who clears their hand on their first play becomes the Earth.

B. Seize Earth Win Mechanism
In Round 1, if Earth is not achieved, the first player in play order to "clear their hand in two consecutive plays" becomes Seize Earth.

C. Human Win Mechanism (Sudden End Method)
In Round 3, the first player to play all their cards becomes the Human. The moment the Human is born, the game ends immediately. All remaining players are Vanquished.

VII. Scoring Rules

1. Initial Phase

D. Three Heavenly Hands in One Game Bonus
If three different types of Heavenly Hands (Mars Mothership, UFO, Star Chain) appear in the same game (whether held by the same player or different players), the score of all Heavenly Hand holders in that game is multiplied by 3, and a server-wide announcement is triggered.

2. Match Phase

VIII. Hand Type Interaction Rules

1.Different Ordinary Types Cannot Beat Each Other: For example, a Pair cannot beat a Single, a Starship cannot beat a Pair Straight, etc.

2.Bombs Can Override: Drones / Super Drones / Ships can beat any ordinary hand type smaller than themselves.

3.Same Type Comparison: Compare the main card rank. For hand types with attachments, compare the main chain's length and rank first, then the attachments.

4.First Played is Greater: For identical ranks or hand types, the one played first is considered greater.

IX. Special Rules

1. Extreme Situation

If all players hold a Heavenly Hand in the Initial Phase, there is no Match Phase, and all players score according to their respective Heavenly Hand types.

2. Disconnection/Quit Handling

If a player disconnects or quits during the Match Phase, the system automatically marks them as "Forfeited," directly judging them as Vanquished (0 pts). Their hand is retained but does not participate in subsequent play.

3. Breakthrough Award

A "Breakthrough Award" is established to reward individuals who propose rule optimizations confirmed by this game platform.

X. Notes

1.If any issues arise during the Match Phase due to unclear rules, arbitration can be requested through the system.

2.These rules are fully executed by AI. Players only need to confirm their play actions. All hand type recognition, legality checks, and optimal play sequence planning are completed by the AI.

3.In case of force majeure, the current game is invalid. Those with objections can request arbitration through the system.

Appendix I: Hand Type Overview

Appendix II: Complete Game Flowchart

Appendix III: Two Phases and Three Rounds Feature Comparison

Appendix IV: Heavenly Hand Probability and Points Comparison