Commune is a bluffing-based card game that requires knowledge of the poker hands and much strategic thinking. It is best played in a large group of people, and does not require use of a table or playing surface.

Object

The object of commune is to be the last player remaining in the game. Players are kicked out of the game when they have received three penalties. Penalties are gathered through making invalid bids or calling valid bids.

Deal

At the beginning of each hand, each player is dealt a number of cards equal to one more than the number of penalties they have. For example, a player with one penalty is dealt two cards. Players may look at their own cards, but must refrain from telling other players information about their hand. Twos are wild and may take on any value.

Bidding

Beginning with the player who last received a penalty, bidding proceeds clockwise. A bid must be a poker hand that the bidder believes exists in the combined cards of all the players, known as the commune. Each successive bid must have a higher value than the previous, with the allowed hands being as follows:

• High Card – e.g. "jack high" – valid if there is one or more card of the named rank in the commune
• Pair – e.g. "two sixes" – valid if there are two or more cards of the named rank in the commune
• Two Pair – e.g. "eights and fours" – valid if there are two or more cards of each of the named ranks in the commune
• Three of a Kind – e.g. "three queens" – valid if there are three or more cards of the named rank in the commune
• Straight – e.g. "straight to nine" – valid if all five consecutively numbered cards, up to and including the named rank, are in the commune
• Full House – e.g. "fives over kings" – valid if there are three or more cards of the first rank named and two or more cards of the second rank named in the commune
• Four of a Kind – e.g. "four aces" – valid if there are four or more cards of the named rank in the commune
• Five of a Kind – e.g. "five sevens" – valid if there are five or more cards of the named rank in the commune

Note that flushes are not hands in Commune, this is because bidding gives no information as to what the suits of the cards in the commune are. Also note that no bid may involve a two, for example, no player may bid "twos over queens" or "straight to six".

Calling

If a player believes that the previous bid made is invalid, or does not exist in the commune, he may announce so by declaring "call". When this happens, players reveal their cards and the validity of the bid is determined. If the bid was valid, the player who called receives a penalty. Otherwise, the bidder receives a penalty. The hand is then over and a new hand begins.

End Game

As players accrue more penalties, they will receive more cards each hand (up to 3) and will thus have more information about the game, making it harder to force further penalties on them. However, eventually, players will one by one receive their third penalty and drop out of the game. When only one player is left, that player is the winner.

Card Number Variations

A common variation when playing with two to four players is to play with up to 5 penalties, allowing the game to go on longer and for bigger hands to be bid. Another variation is that each player begins with 3 cards, and each penalty decreases the number of cards they are dealt. This makes for less drastic drops in card number when a player drops out, but makes it easier for a player to lose as soon as they receive a few penalties.

Bidding Variations

Some variations allow flushes to be bid, as long as the bidder can name every rank in the flush, making it a rather rare bid. This would mean that also straight flushes may be bid, which are better than four of a kinds but below five of a kinds. A final variation allows the bidding of hands larger than five cards, adding the hands six of a kind, seven of a kind, and eight of a kind.