Seven Bridge: Rules and How to Play
Seven Bridge is a rummy-style card game for 2-5 players, about 20 minutes. Meld runs and sets, interrupt with pon and chi, and empty your hand first. Play free in your browser, with no account.
Setup
- 2 to 5 players and a standard 52-card deck without jokers. Deal seven cards to each player and place the rest face down as the stock. No card starts the discard pile.
- The dealer's seat leads the first turn and moves to the next seat each round.
How to play
- On your turn: draw one card from the stock, then meld or lay off any number of times, then discard one card.
- A meld is three or four cards of the same rank, or three or more consecutive cards of one suit. Aces can sit at either end (A-2-3 or Q-K-A), but a run can't wrap around (no K-A-2).
- Sevens are an exception: a single seven can be melded on its own, and a run through a seven only needs two cards (6-7 or 7-8). Two sevens of the same rank also make a meld.
- Laying off — adding a card to any meld on the table, yours or another player's — is only allowed once you have at least one meld of your own on the table. A lone seven can take another seven, or a 6 or 8 of the same suit.
- Anyone holding two or more cards matching a discard may call pon and take it out of turn, meld it with cards from their hand, lay off if they can, then discard. Play continues from the seat after the one who called pon.
- Only the next player may call chi to take a discard that completes a run of three or more in one suit, instead of drawing from the stock. Meld it, then discard.
- Pon beats chi if both are available on the same discard.
- Pon and chi are not allowed during the first go-around of a round (until each seat has discarded once).
Winning and scoring
- Discard your last card to empty your hand and go out. You cannot empty your hand by melding, laying off, or through pon/chi alone — the winning move is always a discard.
- The player who goes out scores zero. Everyone else scores the point value of the cards left in hand (aces and face cards count 10, others at face value). Each seven still in hand doubles that player's total.
- Scores accumulate over 5 rounds by default (1, 3, or 10 can be chosen instead); the lowest total wins. Ties share a place, and a tie for first is a draw.
- If the stock runs out, the discard pile (except its top card) is reshuffled into a new stock once. If it runs out again, the round ends with no scores.
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 2–5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rounds | Choose how many rounds to play. | 5 rounds | Yes |
| JokerJokerThe joker can fill one missing card in a meld that already has at least two real cards (one joker per meld). It never stands in for a seven, and if it is still in your hand when the round ends, your penalty is multiplied by five. It makes melds easier, but holding on to it is costly. | Adds one joker. It cannot stand in for a seven, and if it is left in your hand at the end of the round, your penalty is multiplied by five. | Off | Yes |
| AcesAcesWith both ends, an ace can be used in A-2-3 or Q-K-A (not K-A-2), but an ace left in your hand costs 10 points. With low only, aces fit only in A-2-3, but one left in your hand costs just 1 point. | Choose whether aces work at both ends or low only. | Both ends | Yes |
| Pon and chiPon and chiPon lets anyone holding two or more cards of the same number as a discard skip ahead, take it and meld it. Chi lets only the next player take the last discard instead of drawing, when it completes a run in one suit. Allowing fewer of them makes a calmer game where you build melds from your own draws. | Choose which interrupts are allowed. | Both allowed | Yes |
| First go-around callsFirst go-around callsThe first go-around lasts until each player has discarded once in the round. By default no pon or chi is allowed during it. Turn this on to allow calls from the very first discard, which makes it easier to build melds right after the deal. | Allow pon and chi during the first go-around of a round. | Off | Yes |
| Going outGoing outWith a discard required, you cannot empty your hand by melding or laying off; you must keep one card and discard it to go out. With the other option, you go out as soon as melding, laying off, pon or chi leaves you with no cards, so rounds end sooner. | Choose whether a discard is required to go out. | Discard required | Yes |
| Seven doubles scoreSeven doubles scoreSevens are special because even a single seven can be melded, so holding on to them is punished hard. One seven left in hand doubles your penalty, two make it four times, and so on. Turn it off and a seven counts as just 7 points. | Each seven left in hand doubles that player's round total. | On | Yes |
| Take the discardTake the discardBy default you can only take a discard with pon or chi. Turn this on to take the top discard instead of drawing from the stock on your turn (you need not meld it, but you cannot discard it that turn). It makes it easier to pick up the card you want. | Allow drawing the top discard instead of the stock. | Off | Yes |
Terms
- Meld
- Three or more of a rank, or three or more consecutive cards of one suit (a single seven counts).
- Lay off
- Adding a card from your hand to any meld on the table, once you have a meld of your own.
- Pon
- Taking a discard out of turn with two matching cards from your hand.
- Chi
- The next player taking a discard to complete a run in one suit.
- Seven exception
- A seven can be melded alone, and joins a run with just one more card. Holding one doubles your score.
FAQ
Why are sevens special?
A seven can be melded alone, and joins a run with just one more card. It's worth melding early: a seven left in your hand doubles your round score.
What if pon and chi both apply?
Pon wins. Even if the next player could chi, a pon call from anyone takes priority.
Can I pon or chi on the first go-around?
No. Calls are disabled until every seat has discarded once in that round.
What happens when the stock runs out?
The discard pile, minus its top card, is reshuffled into a new stock once. If it runs out again, the round ends with no scores.
How is scoring worked out?
Whoever goes out scores zero for the round. Everyone else adds up the cards left in hand (aces and face cards count ten, others at face value), and each seven still held doubles that total.
How is this different from Rummy and Gin Rummy?
Seven Bridge is a Japanese rummy where a seven can be melded alone and anyone can grab a discard with pon or chi. Rummy (2-6 players) has neither: you draw from the stock or the discard pile on your own turn and meld. Gin Rummy (two players) keeps melds in hand and ends with a knock.
Does this differ from other rule sets?
Yes. BGJ lets aces sit at either end by default (a low-only option is available), scores sevens by doubling rather than a fixed point value, and plays a fixed number of rounds (five by default) instead of racing to a target score.
What does adding a joker change?
A setting lets you add one joker. It can stand in for any card except a seven, and a meld still needs at least two real cards. A discarded joker cannot be taken with pon or chi.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-09-23 · Run by Qdan, Inc.