Go-Stop: Rules and How to Play
Go-Stop is a hanafuda game for 2–3 players, about 10 minutes. Match cards by month and choose Go or Stop once you score enough. Free in your browser, no account needed.
Objective
As a hanafuda player, you can take cards only by matching the same month; once you have enough points, you choose Go to push on or Stop to win.
Setup
- Three players: hand 7, table 6, deck 21. Two: hand 10, table 8, deck 20. The first dealer is random; later it is the winner.
How to play
- Play one card matching its month, then flip one automatically. Choose between two matches; a fourth takes a three-card stack.
- If the deck matches your played pair, all three remain as a stack; three of a month dealt to the table also form one. The fourth takes it and one junk from each opponent, or two each for your own stack.
- A deck match for an unmatched play is Jjok; taking two table matches with hand and deck is Ttadak; emptying the table is a sweep. Each takes one junk per opponent, except on the final deck turn, when only cards are captured.
Winning and scoring
- Three brights 3, rainy three 2, four 4, five 15; three birds 5; each ribbon trio 3. Five animals or ribbons, or ten junk units, score 1.
- Choose Go or Stop at 3 points with three players, 7 with two. After Go, choose again once your combination points rise at least 1 above that Go. Highest total wins.
- Base points are combination points plus Go count, doubled repeatedly from the third Go. Show 3 and Bomb each double the winner’s points; seven animals cause Meong-bak; carry after a void round also multiplies them.
- A winner with ten junk units causes Junk-bak against opponents with five or fewer (seven with two players). Winning with brights doubles losses for opponents with no brights. Go-bak doubles a Go caller’s loss. The winner receives the sum of all losses.
- Four cards of a month in a dealt hand win immediately by Chongtong: each opponent loses 10, without doubles. If nobody stops before the deck ends, the round is void (totals unchanged) and the next counts double, up to four times.
Common variants
- The highest total after these rounds wins. One round takes about 4 minutes, three about 10 and five about 16.
- Showing three cards of a month doubles your winning points. If the fourth is on the table, Bomb takes all four and one junk card from each opponent.
- The cup counts either as one animal or as two junk units. The same choice applies to everyone throughout the round.
- Four cards of one month in a dealt hand win at once. Each opponent loses 10 points. Off means dealing again instead.
- A player who called Go and then loses the round loses twice as many points. This makes continuing more risky.
- If nobody stops after Go and the deck runs out, the round is void. Alternatively the last caller wins with their current points.
- After a void round, the next round counts double. Consecutive void rounds increase this to at most four times.
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 2–3 players (set automatically by the party size) |
| Turn time limit | None by default (the host can set 30 or 60 seconds) |
| If someone drops mid-game | Reopening on the same device returns you to your seat. If you do not return, the CPU plays in your place. |
| Draws | In ranked play, a draw counts as halfway between a win and a loss for your rating. |
| Source of the rules | Based on the standard reference rules |
Rules supervised by Qdan, Inc. (based on the standard reference rules)
House rules
Defaults follow the standard reference rules. The party can change these.
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| RoundsRoundsPoints won or lost are added to the running total each round, and the previous round's winner deals. One round takes about 4 minutes, three about 10 and five about 16. Three is the standard. | How many rounds are played; the highest total wins. | 3 rounds (about 10 minutes) | Yes |
| Show 3 and BombShow 3 and BombHolding three cards of a month, you may show them before playing to double your winning points. If the fourth is on the table, Bomb takes all four at once plus one junk card from each opponent. Turning this off removes both moves. | Whether Show 3 and Bomb are allowed. | On | Yes |
| Chrysanthemum cupChrysanthemum cupAs an animal, the cup counts toward the animal total (1 point from five cards). As double junk, it counts as two junk units, which can change the Junk-bak check. The same choice applies to everyone. | Counts the cup as an animal or as two junk units. | Animal | Yes |
| Chongtong (four of a month)Chongtong (four of a month)On: that player wins at once and each opponent loses 10 points (no multipliers). Off: the cards are dealt again. | What happens when a dealt hand has four of a month. | Win at once, 10 points | Yes |
| Go-bakGo-bakOn: a player who called Go and then loses the round loses twice as many points, so continuing is a real risk. Off: no extra loss. | Double loss for a player who called Go and then loses. | On | Yes |
| Deck ends after GoDeck ends after GoVoid round: nothing is won or lost this round. Last Go caller wins: the last player who called Go is settled as if they had stopped with their current points. | What happens if the deck runs out after a Go. | Void round | Yes |
| Carry after a void roundCarry after a void roundAfter a void round the next round is settled at double. Consecutive void rounds raise this to at most four times, so a decided round can win it all back. | The multiplier for the round after a void round. | Double next round (up to ×4) | Yes |
FAQ
What does Go change?
Continue and increase your combination score to choose again. Each Go adds 1; the third and later double repeatedly.
What is Junk-bak?
If the winner has ten junk units, an opponent with five or fewer (seven with two players) loses double.
What are stacks, Jjok and Ttadak?
A three-card table stack; capturing your unmatched play with a deck match; taking both table matches with your hand and deck cards.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-10-08 · Run by Qdan, Inc.