How to Play Shengji (Tractor)
Shengji (升级, "level up"), also called Tractor or 80 Points, is one of China's most popular card games: four players in two partnerships, two decks, and a race from level 2 to Ace.
Players and deal
- Four players; partners sit opposite. Play goes to the right.
- Two decks with jokers, 108 cards. Each player gets 25 cards; 8 go to the kitty.
- Each team has a level, starting at 2. The dealer's team (the defenders) plays at its level; cards of that rank are level cards.
Declaring trump
After the deal, each player in turn may show a level card to make its suit trump, or pass.
| Declaration | Strength |
|---|---|
| One level card | Lowest |
| A pair of the same level card | Beats a single |
| A pair of small jokers | No trump |
| A pair of big jokers | Highest, no trump |
A later declaration must be stronger. In the first hand, whoever declares deals. If nobody declares, the first kitty card sets trump (a joker means no trump), and South deals the first hand.
The kitty
The dealer picks up the 8 kitty cards and buries any 8. Bury low cards from a short suit (so you can trump it later); avoid burying points.
Card order
Trumps, high to low: big joker, small joker, the trump-suit level card, the other level cards (equal; the first played wins), then the trump suit A down to 2. The other suits run A down to 2. The level rank is skipped in every suit.
Playing a trick
The dealer leads the first trick; the winner of each trick leads the next. A lead is:
- a single,
- a pair (two identical cards, same suit and rank), or
- a tractor: two or more consecutive pairs of one suit.
kawu doesn't allow multi-card throws (甩牌), a common simplification.
Following: play the same number of cards. Follow the led suit (all trumps count as one suit) as far as you can. If a pair was led and you have a pair in that suit, you must play it; for a tractor, you must play a tractor of the same length if you have one, or otherwise as many pairs as you can.
Winning: only plays of the same shape as the lead can win. The highest in the led suit wins, unless someone out of that suit played the same shape in trumps. Equal cards: the first played wins.
Points
- 5s are worth 5; 10s and Kings 10: 200 points in all.
- The attackers (non-dealing team) keep the points in the tricks they win.
- Kitty bonus: if the attackers win the last trick, they also get the kitty's points, ×2 if it was led with a single, ×4 with a pair, ×8 with a two-pair tractor, and so on.
Going up levels
| Attackers' points | Result |
|---|---|
| 0 | Defenders up 3 levels |
| 5–35 | Defenders up 2 |
| 40–75 | Defenders up 1 |
| 80–115 | Attackers take over the deal |
| 120–155 | Attackers take over and go up 1 |
| Each further 40 | One more level |
If the defenders hold, the dealer's partner deals next; if the attackers take over, the player to the old dealer's right deals. Levels stop at Ace. A team wins by defending successfully at Ace.
On kawu
You sit South with a computer partner against two computer players. Tap cards (or drag across them) to select, then play; Hint suggests a play. To play with friends, open an online table; the computer fills any empty seat. See the strategy guide for tips.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tractor in Shengji?
Two or more consecutive pairs in the same suit, such as 7-7-8-8. The level rank is skipped, so at level 5, 4-4-6-6 is a tractor.
How many points do the attackers need?
80. With 80 to 115 they take over the deal; with 120 they also go up a level, and one more level for each further 40 points.
What are the trumps?
Both jokers, every card of the level rank (all four suits), and the whole trump suit. With no trump, only the jokers and level cards.
Last updated 2026-10-19