Ninety-Nine Strategy: 5 Tips

Ninety-Nine is about who runs out of safe cards first. New? See the rules.

1. Hoard the specials

Kings, 9s, 4s and 10s are the only cards that are safe at a high total. Never play one while a plain card will do.

2. Burn high early

An 8 or a queen is easy to play at 20 and deadly at 95. Spend high plain cards while the total is low.

3. Pass the problem

At 85 or more, a king (to 99) or a 9 (no change) leaves the next player needing a special of their own. With a 4 you can even send the crisis back the way it came.

4. Watch the direction

After a 4, the player who was about to play is skipped and the other neighbour gets the hot total. Use it to target the player with the fewest tokens, or to protect yourself.

5. Count what's gone

There are four of each special. If three kings have been played, the next player at 99 is in real trouble.

The hard computer never busts while it has a safe card, keeps specials for a high total and plays a king or 9 to pass 99 on; normal plays the highest safe card; easy plays any safe card.

Last updated 2026-10-21