How to Play Gong Zhu
Gong Zhu, "Chase the Pig", is China's answer to Hearts: the same follow-suit tricks, but with a 100-point pig, a 100-point sheep and a card that doubles everything.
The rules
- Four players, no partners, 13 cards each. The player left of the dealer leads any card; play goes clockwise.
- Follow suit if you can; otherwise play any card. The highest card of the suit led takes the trick and the scoring cards in it. The winner leads next.
- Scoring cards:
- Hearts: A −50, K −40, Q −30, J −20, 10 to 5 −10 each, 4, 3 and 2 nothing (−200 in all).
- The Pig, Q♠: −100. The Sheep, J♦: +100.
- The Doubler, 10♣: doubles the rest of your hand's points; alone it is +50.
- Take all thirteen hearts and they count +200 instead of −200; the Pig becomes +100 if you also hold it.
- After each hand the totals are added to the scores. The game ends when someone reaches −1000; the highest score wins.
Playing on kawu
Tap a card to play it; cards you may not play are dimmed. The panel shows every score, this hand's points, and the scoring cards you have taken so far. Hint suggests what the hard computer would play. There is no undo at a four-player table.
Next: Gong Zhu strategy.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Doubler work?
If you take the 10♣ along with other scoring cards, your hand's total is doubled, good or bad. If the 10♣ is the only scoring card you took, it is worth +50 by itself.
What about exposing cards before play?
In many home rules a player may show the Pig, Sheep, Doubler or A♥ at the start to double its value. This version leaves exposing out so that the game is quick to learn.
Last updated 2026-10-21