How to Play Big Two
Big Two, called 锄大地 (Choh Dai Di) in Cantonese, is a four-player shedding game with poker-like hands and one twist: the 2 is the top card.
Ranks and suits
Cards rank 3 (lowest) up to A, then 2 (highest). Within a rank, suits rank diamonds < clubs < hearts < spades. So the 2 of spades is the best single card and the 3 of diamonds the worst.
Plays
| Play | Beats |
|---|---|
| Single | a lower single |
| Pair | a lower pair (compare the higher card) |
| Triple | a lower triple |
| Five-card hand | a five-card hand of a lower category, or the same category and lower rank |
Five-card categories, lowest first: straight, flush, full house, four of a kind (plus one card), straight flush.
The hand
- Whoever holds the 3 of diamonds starts, with a play that includes it.
- Each next player must play the same number of cards and beat the table, or pass.
- After three passes in a row, the player who made the last play leads anything.
- The first player with no cards wins.
Scoring
Each loser pays the winner one point per card left, doubled with ten or more cards and trebled with all thirteen. Points carry over from hand to hand on kawu.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the 2 the highest card in Big Two?
That's the game's defining rule, and where the name comes from: ranks run 3, 4 … K, A, 2, so a 2 beats everything of its size.
Can a straight go over the 2?
A-2-3-4-5 and 2-3-4-5-6 count as the lowest straights on kawu; J-Q-K-A-2 does not count. 10-J-Q-K-A is the highest straight.
Last updated 2026-10-20