Play Donkey free online — a four-player trick-taking race. Follow suit or pick up the pile, shed all your cards, and don’t be the last one left holding cards, the Donkey. No download or sign-up.
Overview
Donkey is a lively four-player trick-taking card game played with a single 52-card deck. The goal is simply to get rid of all your cards before everyone else — and above all not to be the final player still holding cards, who becomes the ‘Donkey’ and loses. The twist is a harsh penalty: fail to follow suit and you scoop up the whole table.
How to play
All 52 cards are dealt out, so each of the four players starts with thirteen. The player holding the Ace of Spades must lead it to open the round. After the lead, every player in turn must play a card of the same suit if they have one. Aces are high, ranking down through King, Queen, Jack and 10 to the 2.
Following suit and picking up
If a player cannot follow the led suit, they must pick up every card currently on the table and add it to their hand — a big setback. If everyone does follow suit, the highest card of the led suit wins the trick and those table cards are discarded from the game for good. The player who won the trick then leads the next one.
Strategy and tips
Shed your high cards in a suit early, while you can still win tricks and clear cards from play, rather than being caught holding them later. Keep at least one low card in as many suits as you can so you are never forced to pick up the pile. Watch which suits your opponents have stopped following — leading those suits can force them to collect the table.
Controls
When you hold the Ace of Spades you must lead it; otherwise select one card to lead or to follow suit, and tap to play. The game enforces the follow-suit rule and handles picking up the table automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Is Donkey free to play? Yes — free in your browser, no sign-up. Who leads first? The player holding the Ace of Spades must open with it. What happens if I cannot follow suit? You pick up every card on the table. Who loses? The last player still holding cards is the Donkey.
