How to Play Chinchón

Chinchón is Spain's favourite rummy — race to arrange your 7 cards into valid sets and runs before your opponent, then close the round early for a bonus. Learn the rules here, then play free as part of our Spanish 10-in-1 collection.

Overview

Chinchón is Spain's favourite rummy — race to arrange your 7 cards into valid melds before your opponent, then close the round to end it early. Be the player with the fewest penalty points when the match ends.

The Cards

A 40-card deck: four suits, ranks Ace through King (1–7, then Jack, Knight/Queen, King). Cards can be shown in Spanish, Italian, or French style — the suits, ranks and scoring are identical either way.

Card Values

Every card's penalty value equals its own rank, the same across every suit — Ace is lowest at 1 point, up through the King at 10 points. Cards inside a valid meld always score 0; only unmatched, leftover cards count against you. Aces are low only — a run can go A-2-3 but never wrap from King back around to Ace.

How to Play a Turn

1. Draw — take the top card from the Stock (face-down) or the Discard pile. You now hold 8 cards.
2. Discard — place one card face-up on the Discard pile, back down to 7. Or, if those 7 cards already form valid melds, press Close instead.

Valid Melds — Sets & Runs

Sets: 3 or 4 cards of the same rank, each a different suit — three 5s, for example. Runs: 3 or more consecutive cards of the same suit — 4-5-6 of Coins, for example. Wild card: the Ace of Coins can stand in for any card needed to complete a set or run.

All 7 cards in one single run of the same suit is a Chinchón — an instant win of the entire match.

Closing the Round

Draw your 8th card, arrange the other 7 into valid melds, then discard the extra card face-down to signal the close. Closing early earns you a −10 point bonus. Everyone else reveals their hand and counts penalty points for whatever's left unmatched.

Winning the Match

The match ends the moment either player's total exceeds 100 points. Whoever has the lower total at that point wins.

Strategy Tips

• Watch what your opponent discards — it hints at what they don't need.
• Low cards (2–7) are safer to hold onto since they cost less if you get stuck with them.
• Don't rush to close for a small bonus — sometimes waiting one more turn secures a much stronger hand.
• Keep an eye out for a same-suit run forming in your hand — a Chinchón ends the whole match on the spot.

Frequently Asked Questions

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