How a round goes
Sixteen cards. One is set aside face down (with two players, three more face up). Everyone holds one card. On your turn you draw a second card and play one of the two — ← the left one, → the right one — and its effect happens. If a card asks for a player, point at their seat with the arrow keys (↓ is you). When the deck runs out the highest card wins the round; a tie goes to whoever discarded more in total. Being the last one left also wins.
A round won is a token of affection. First to 7 (two players), 5 (three) or 4 (four) wins the princess.
The cards
- 1 Guard ×5 — name a card other than Guard. If the chosen player holds it, they are out.
- 2 Priest ×2 — look at another player's hand.
- 3 Baron ×2 — compare hands with another player in secret. The lower card is out; a tie does nothing.
- 4 Handmaid ×2 — nobody can choose you until your next turn.
- 5 Prince ×2 — a player of your choice (yourself included) discards their hand without effect and draws a new card. Discarding the Princess this way still loses. If the deck is empty they take the card set aside.
- 6 King ×1 — trade hands with another player.
- 7 Countess ×1 — no effect, but if you hold her together with the King or the Prince, you must play her.
- 8 Princess ×1 — if she leaves your hand for any reason, you are out.
A card that asks for a player when nobody can be chosen (everyone else is out or safe) is discarded with no effect. The Prince must then be aimed at yourself.