How to Play Pusoy Dos: Rules, Card Order and Combinations

Pusoy Dos is the Filipino name for Big Two, a shedding card game for two to four players. The aim is to be the first to play all your cards. Players take turns beating the last play with the same number of higher cards, or passing. The 2 is the highest card, which is where the name comes from: "dos" means two.

Pusoy Dos rules at a glance (November 2026)

Rule	Pusoy Dos
Players	2 to 4, usually 4
Deck	52 cards, no jokers
Deal	13 cards each with four players, 17 with three
Card order, high to low	2, A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3
Suit order, high to low	Diamonds, hearts, spades, clubs in the Philippines (varies by table)
Legal plays	Single, pair, three of a kind or a five-card combination
Goal	Be first to play every card

Is Pusoy Dos the same as Pusoy?

No. In Pusoy Dos you shed cards over many turns. In Pusoy, also known as Chinese Poker, you arrange 13 cards into three poker hands and compare them once. Both use 13 cards with four players, and some players just say "Pusoy" for either, which is why the names get mixed up.

How do you start a round of Pusoy Dos?

Deal the whole deck evenly: 13 cards each with four players, or 17 each with three, leaving the last card out. The player holding the lowest card starts, playing it alone or as part of a combination. In the usual Filipino suit order that card is the 3 of clubs. Tables using the international Big Two order, with spades highest and diamonds lowest, start with the 3 of diamonds instead.

How do you play a turn?

The next player must play the same number of cards with a higher value, or pass. A single beats a lower single, a pair beats a lower pair and a five-card combination beats a lower five-card combination. You must pass if you cannot beat the play, and you may also pass by choice.

When everyone else has passed, the played cards are cleared away. The player who made the last play then leads anything they like, including a different number of cards. The match ends as soon as one player has no cards left.

Which cards beat which in Pusoy Dos?

Rank comes first, from the 2 at the top down to the 3 at the bottom. Suit only breaks a tie between equal ranks. So any 2 beats any ace, and the 2 of diamonds is the highest single card in the usual Filipino order. For a pair or three of a kind, compare the rank, then the higher suit if the ranks match.

What are the five-card combinations?

From lowest to highest:

Combination	What it is	How it is compared
Straight	Five cards in a row, any suits	By its high card
Flush	Five of one suit	By the suit, then the cards
Full house	Three of a kind and a pair	By the three of a kind
Four of a kind	Four of a rank and any one card	By the four
Straight flush	Five in a row in one suit	By its high card

Which straights are highest varies by table, particularly those with a 2 or an ace, so agree before you play. Sequences that wrap round through the 2, such as 2-A-K-Q-J, are not valid. Some tables also let a player dealt one card of every rank, called a dragon, win on the spot.

How does scoring work in Pusoy Dos?

When a match ends, each player who still has cards counts them as penalty points. In one common system some cases double the count, such as holding 10 or more cards or an unused 2. Players keep going until someone reaches a total such as 50, and the lowest score then wins. Plenty of tables just play for who goes out first.

What are the basic Pusoy Dos tips?

Hold your 2s and aces back, since they are how you win control of a round.
Get rid of low singles early, because they get harder to play later.
Plan your five-card plays first, then pairs and singles from what is left.
Count the 2s that have gone. Once they are out, your aces become the top cards.
Watch a player with few cards left, and do not lead what they can easily beat.

More card and table games to learn

Learn the other Filipino favourite too: how to play Tongits. If you want a game to start right now, our free Snakes and Ladders game runs in your browser.

Pusoy Dos rules: common questions

What is the highest card in Pusoy Dos?

The 2. In the usual Filipino suit order, the 2 of diamonds is the highest single card in the game. In the international Big Two order it is the 2 of spades.

What is the lowest card in Pusoy Dos?

The 3 of clubs in the usual Filipino order, or the 3 of diamonds in the international Big Two order. Whoever holds it starts.

How many players can play Pusoy Dos?

Two to four. Four is the usual game, with 13 cards each.

Can you pass if you have a card that could beat the play?

Yes. You may pass by choice, and you must pass if you cannot beat what is on the table.

What other names does Pusoy Dos have?

Big Two, Deuces, Dai Di, Capsa and, in other Philippine languages, Chikicha.