Daifugo
How to Play
Daifugo (also known in the West as President) is Japan's most-played shedding card game - and this free browser version seats you at a five-player table against four named AI opponents. Play cards equal or higher than the pile to shed your hand first, with the classic Japanese table rules built in: the 8-cut, the Revolution that flips card rankings, and the spade-3 counter to the Joker, using a 53-card deck with one Joker. The interface is in Japanese, but the card play itself is easy to follow. No download, no sign-up, no online multiplayer.
Browser Controls
- Play or Pass: On your turn, select cards and hit the play button to beat what is on the pile, or pass and wait for the field to clear.
- Beat the Pile: You must match the count and beat the rank of the cards on the table - pairs answer pairs, and so on.
- Shed Everything: The first player to empty their hand takes the top rank for the round.
Special Rules
- 8-Cut (Yagiri): Playing an 8 immediately clears the pile and hands you a fresh lead - the most famous house rule in Japan, built in here.
- Revolution (Kakumei): Playing four of a kind flips the card rankings, so the lowest cards suddenly rule. A bold Revolution banner shows while it is active.
- Spade-3 Counter: The Joker is the strongest single card - unless someone answers it with the 3 of spades, the one card that beats it.
- 53-Card Deck & Forbidden Finishes: The deck is 52 cards plus one Joker (53 total, dealt out across five players), and finishing on certain power cards is forbidden - so plan your last card carefully.
Winning Habits
- Save Your 2s and Joker: High cards win the endgame. Spend low cards early and keep your closers in hand.
- Pass with Purpose: Passing is not losing - letting a trick go can hand you the lead on a fresh field where your low cards are playable.
- Time the Revolution: Four of a kind is a bomb: fire it when your hand is full of low cards and watch them become unbeatable.
- Use the 8-Cut to Steal Tempo: An 8 resets the field on your terms - perfect for escaping a high-card standoff you cannot win.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Daifugo?
Daifugo ('Grand Millionaire') is Japan's take on the President / Tycoon family of shedding card games: players race to empty their hands, and finishing order assigns ranks from rich to poor. This free browser version seats you against four AI opponents with the classic Japanese table rules.
How do I win a round?
Be the first to play away all your cards. On each turn you either beat the cards on the pile with an equal-count, higher-rank play, or pass. When everyone passes, the field clears and play restarts with a fresh lead.
Do I play against real people?
No. All four opponents - the fox, the robot, the strategist, and the master - are computer-controlled, so a full five-player table is always ready. There is no online multiplayer.
What is the Revolution rule?
Play four of a kind and the entire card ranking flips - threes become mighty and twos become weak - until the round ends or another Revolution flips it back. The game shows a Revolution banner while it is in effect.
What is the 8-cut rule?
Playing an 8 instantly clears the pile and gives you the next lead. It is one of Japan's most popular house rules, and it is switched on in this version.
What beats the Joker?
Only one card: the 3 of spades. The spade-3 counter rule is built in, so even the strongest card in the deck has a nemesis.
Is the interface in English?
The menus are in Japanese - it is a Japanese-made game - but the table reads like any card game: your hand at the bottom, a play button and a pass button. The rules summary above matches what is printed on the game's own menu.
Is Daifugo the same as President or Tycoon?
Same family, Japanese branch. The core shedding race is identical, but Daifugo is famous for its extra table rules - the 8-cut, the Revolution, and the spade-3 counter - which this version includes.
Do I need to download anything or sign up?
No. It is an instant-load HTML5 browser game - no downloads, no installs, no account.