Better 13

Concept by Gordon LeVasseur & Brandan Parsons

2-4 players | 5-30 mins | Ages 8+

OVERVIEW

Race to empty your hand by climbing the Ladder! Play cards in combinations that beat the previous play—from the lowly Singletons to the mighty Better 13. Use action cards to disrupt your opponents, flip the Ladder to reverse the rankings, and be the first player with no cards left to win!

CONTENTS

  • 54 cards total:

    • 48 numbered cards (eight of each number 1 through 6)

    • 6 action cards (Yoink, Twister, Share, Reset, Plenty, Flip)

THE LADDER

The Ladder ranks card combinations from lowest to highest. You must play a combination that beats the previous play (referred to as the “count”) by either playing a higher-ranked combination type or a higher number within the same type.

From LOW to HIGH:

  1. Singletons — Any single card (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

  2. Pairs — Two cards of the same number (1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6-6)

  3. Straights — Three consecutive cards (1-2-3, 2-3-4, 3-4-5, 4-5-6)

  4. Three of a Kind — Three cards of the same number (1-1-1, 2-2-2, 3-3-3, 4-4-4, 5-5-5, 6-6-6)

  5. 13 — Three cards that add up to 13: (2-5-6, 3-4-6)

  6. Better 13 — Three cards that add up to 13 AND contain a pair (1-6-6, 3-5-5, 4-4-5)

Important Notes:

  • Within each combination type, higher numbers beat lower numbers (e.g., 5-5 beats 3-3)

  • Both 13 combinations (2-5-6 and 3-4-6) are equal in value

  • All three Better 13 combinations (1-6-6, 3-5-5, and 4-4-5) are equal in value

  • Better 13 is the highest combination and cannot be beaten (unless the Ladder is flipped)

  • You may never play more than three cards as a combination

SETUP

  1. Choose a dealer. The dealer shuffles the deck and deals seven cards to each player.

  2. Place the remaining deck face down in the center where everyone can reach it.

  3. The player to the left of the dealer goes first.

PLAYING THE GAME

Goal: Be the first player to empty your hand.

On Your Turn

First: You may play any number of action cards. Resolve their effects in order.

Then: You must do ONE of the following:

  • Play — Play a card or combination of cards (one to three cards). 

  • Pass — Draw one card from the deck.

Then: The next player (clockwise) takes their turn. 

Playing Combinations

When you play a combination, it must beat the previous count by being either:

  • A higher-ranked combination type on the Ladder, OR

  • A higher number within the same combination type

Example: If the previous count was a pair of 3s (3-3), you could beat it by playing a higher pair (4-4, 5-5, or 6-6) or any combination type higher on the Ladder.

Special Situations

Starting a New Count:

  • When a Better 13 is played (on a normal Ladder), all other players draw one card. Then the player who played the Better 13 starts a new count by playing any combination on the Ladder.

  • When a Singleton 1 is played (on a Flipped Ladder), all other players draw one card. Then the player who played the 1 starts a new count by playing any combination on the Ladder.

Unbeatable Play:

  • If a combination is played and all other players pass (no one can or wants to beat it), all played cards are discarded. The player who made the unbeatable play starts a new count by playing any combination on the Ladder.

Empty Deck:

  • If the deck runs out of cards, shuffle all discarded cards to form a new deck. Play continues normally.

Winning Restrictions

You may NOT go out (empty your hand) by playing an action card. If the only card left in your hand is an action card, you must choose to Pass (and draw a card).

ACTION CARDS

You may play as many action cards as you wish on your turn before playing a combination. Resolve them one at a time.

  • Yoink — Take a random card from any player of your choice.

  • Twister — Each player passes their entire hand to the player on their left.

  • Share — Each player chooses one card from their hand and passes it to the player on their left.

  • Reset — Discard all cards currently in play and start a new count anywhere on the Ladder.

  • Plenty — Every player draws one card from the deck.

  • Flip — Flip the Ladder upside down (see Flipping the Ladder below).

FLIPPING THE LADDER

When a Flip action card is played, the Ladder reverses. The lowest combination becomes the highest, and the highest becomes the lowest.

Flipped Ladder (from LOW to HIGH):

Better 13 → 13 → Three of a Kind → Straights → Pairs → Singletons

  • On a Flipped Ladder, nothing beats a Singleton 1 (it's now the "top" of the Ladder)

  • When a Singleton 1 is played, all other players draw one card and the player who played it starts a new count

  • The Ladder stays flipped until another Flip card returns the Ladder to normal.

END OF GAME

The game ends immediately when a player legally empties their hand. That player wins!

Optional Scoring Variant

For a longer experience, played across multiple games, you can choose to have either the winner of each game score 1 point OR have them score points equal to the total value of cards remaining in opponents' hands (action cards worth 0). First player to reach an agreed-upon total wins.