31 Card Game Rules
Collect three cards of one suit worth 31, knock at the right time and keep your lives: how to play 31 (Scat).
31, also called Scat, Blitz, Thirty-One or Ride the Bus, is a quick draw-and-discard card game in which you try to hold three cards of one suit worth 31 points, or as close to it as you can. Each round, the player with the lowest hand loses a life, and the last player with a life left wins. It is easy enough for children and is played across the US and the UK, and games aiming for 31 go back to at least the 15th century: the name is first recorded in a French translation of a sermon from 1440. Despite the name Scat, it has nothing to do with the German game Skat. This guide covers the 31 card game rules, how to count a hand, knocking, lives, the main variations, the casino version, strategy and odds.
31 Rules at a Glance
| 31 (Scat) | |
|---|---|
| Players | Two to nine or more; some players find three the best number. |
| Cards | One standard 52-card pack. Ace 11, King, Queen, Jack and 10 count 10, other cards their number. |
| Hand | Three cards each, all game long. |
| Hand value | The total of your cards in any one suit; the best is 31 (Ace and two ten-point cards of one suit). |
| Each turn | Draw one card from the stock or the discard pile, then discard one card. |
| Knocking | Instead of drawing, knock: everyone else gets one more turn, then all hands are shown. |
| Lives | Three each, often kept as pennies. The lowest hand loses one; lose a life with none left and you are out. |
How to Count a Hand
Only cards of the same suit add up. Three cards of one suit count all three; two of one suit count those two, unless the odd card is worth more on its own; three different suits count the single highest card. So the Ace, King and 10 of spades make 31, while the Ace of hearts with the 6 and 4 of spades counts 11, because the lone Ace beats the two spades.
How to Play 31
- Deal three cards each. Deal one card at a time, starting on the dealer’s left, until everyone has three. Turn the next card face up to start the discard pile, and put the rest face down as the stock. The deal passes to the left after every round.
- Draw and discard. Starting on the dealer’s left, take the top card of the stock or the discard pile, then discard one card face up. If you took the discard, you can’t throw the same card straight back.
- Knock when you’re ready. At the start of your turn, if you think your hand won’t be the lowest, knock on the table instead of drawing. You keep your hand, and every other player gets one last turn.
- Show the hands. When the player to the knocker’s right has discarded, everyone shows their cards and counts their best suit.
- Declare 31 at once. If you reach exactly 31, including in your first three cards, show it immediately: the round ends and every other player loses a life, even after a knock.
If the stock runs out, play can go on as long as each player wants the previous player’s discard. When someone doesn’t, the hands are shown and the lowest loses a life.
Losing Lives and Winning
| What happens | Who loses |
|---|---|
| Hands are shown after a knock | The player with the lowest hand loses one life. If several players tie for lowest, they all lose one. |
| The knocker ties for lowest | The knocker is safe; the other tied player(s) lose a life. |
| The knocker has the lowest hand alone | The knocker loses two lives. |
| A player declares 31 | Every other player loses one life, including a knocker. |
Each player usually starts with three pennies and pays one into the middle for each life lost. With no pennies left you are “on the county” and still playing, and if you lose again you are out. The last player left in wins the game.
31 Variations
| Variation | What changes |
|---|---|
| Three of a kind | Three cards of the same rank count 30, or 30½, which beats everything except 31. |
| Minimum knock | You may only knock with a certain score, such as 17, 19 or 21, or only with three cards of one suit. |
| Harder on the knocker | A knocker who ties for lowest loses two lives, or is the only one to lose. |
| Knock at the start | The first player may call for everyone to show their dealt hands at once; if that player is lowest, they lose two lives. |
| Ride the Bus | Instead of lives, losing players move from the back of the bus to the front, then down the steps and off. |
| Banking (the “widow”) | Everyone puts a stake in a pot and three extra cards are dealt face up in the middle. On your turn you swap a card with the widow instead of drawing. After a knock and one more round, the highest hand takes the pot, and a 31 wins it at once. |
| Schwimmen | The German game of 31, played by swapping cards with a pool of three in the middle rather than drawing. |
31 Classic: The Casino Version
There is also a casino table game based on 31, called 31 Classic, whose rules of play are published by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. You play against a pay table, not the other players. You make an Ante bet, with an optional Natural 31 Bonus bet, and receive three cards. You then either fold and lose the Ante, or make a Play bet equal to it. The dealer turns up one Draw card, and your hand is the best three of your four cards. Cards only add up in one suit, and three of a kind is the only mixed-suit hand with a value. The Ante pushes on 17 and pays even money on 18 or more; anything lower loses it.
| Play bet: hand | Pays (sample table) |
|---|---|
| 17 | 1 to 1 |
| 18–23 | 1 to 1 |
| 24–27 | 2 to 1 |
| 28 or 29 | 3 to 1 |
| 30 | 4 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 6 to 1 |
| 31 | 10 to 1 |
| Mini-Royal | 20 to 1 |
31 Strategy
- Don’t knock too early. Against three players who knocked at 25 or more, a player who knocked at 17 or more lost 41.9 lives per 100 rounds, against 33.3 for knocking at 22 or more, because 20% of those early knocks cost the knocker lives.
- Don’t wait too long either. Holding out for 29 lost 34.8 lives per 100 rounds, a little worse than knocking from 22 to 25, because the other players have more turns to catch up or make 31.
- Pick a suit early. Your hand only counts in one suit, so keep the suit with the most points and throw the odd cards.
- Watch the discards. If a player starts throwing a suit they were keeping, they are probably changing suits, and their hand may be weaker than it looks.
- Take the discard only if it helps. Taking it tells everyone which suit you’re collecting.
31 Odds
- Dealt 31: only 24 of the 22,100 possible three-card hands make 31, so it happens about once in 921 hands.
- One suit: 5.2% of dealt hands have all three cards in one suit, and 11% are worth 20 or more. The average dealt hand is worth 13.1.
- Making 31 in play: with four players, 13% of rounds ended with someone making 31 before the hands were shown.
The knock figures come from 400,000 simulated four-player rounds for each knocking point, with the deal moving round the table and every player drawing and discarding the same simple way. The deal odds are exact.
More Card Games
For a game of three-card hands with poker-style rankings, see Three Card Brag. For counting to 31 in a different way, try Cribbage, and for the casino game of getting close to a total without going over, Blackjack.
31 card game: frequently asked questions
How do you play the 31 card game?
Are Scat and 31 the same game?
How many cards do you deal in 31?
How do you count a hand in 31?
What happens if you get 31?
What happens if the knocker has the lowest hand?
How many lives do you get in 31?
Does three of a kind count in 31?
Fadi Hayek
Author & Casino Expert
After going through several successful experiences with several industry pioneers, Fadi Hayek has managed to excel in the world of content for online gaming by providing unique content for several projects that allowed him to obtain the necessary experience to launch his career. Last but not least, Fadi also holds several certificates, including but not limited to content marketing and iGaming.
