Thirteen Card Rankings and Combinations: What Beats What in Tiến Lên?

Thirteen, also known as Tiến Lên or Tien Len, is a climbing game. You beat the current play with a higher legal combination, or you pass and wait for the next battle. High cards alone do not save you: an ordinary response has to match the type and size of what is already on the table before anyone compares strength. A pair does not climb over a straight just because the pair looks louder, and a triple cannot answer a pair either. Rank comes first inside a matched fight, and suit only settles ties.

That matching habit is the whole ranking story on Solitaire Arcade. Bombs are the main exception, and they get only a short place here so this page stays about ordinary combinations. For deal, lead, and turn flow, start with the How to Play Thirteen guide.

Rank order from 3 up to 2

From low to high, the ranks run 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace, 2. A 3 is the floor and a 2 is the highest ordinary rank, so a 7 beats a 6, a Queen beats a Jack, an Ace beats a King, and a 2 beats an Ace when you are comparing singles. The same ladder applies inside matching pairs, triples, and four-of-a-kind plays. Putting the 2 above the Ace is the first surprise for players coming from Ace-high tables: in How to Play Spades, Ace still tops the suit, while here the 2 owns the ordinary top, though it cannot join straights or consecutive-pair runs.

Suit only settles equal ranks

When the ranks you are comparing are equal, suit breaks the tie. On Solitaire Arcade the suit order from low to high is Spades, Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, so among four 9s the order is 9♠ < 9♣ < 9♦ < 9♥. Heart is highest within a rank, but rank still outranks suit: a 10♠ beats a 9♥, and J♠ beats 10♥ even though Spades sit at the bottom of the suit ladder. There is no trump that lets a lower rank steal a higher one. If you want a contrast where suit identity changes the whole hand (bowers and trump), 500 Card Rankings Explained is the place; Thirteen keeps printed suits fixed and only uses them as a tiebreaker.

Singles climb on rank first

A single is one card, and you beat an ordinary single with a higher single. 7♣ beats 6♥ because rank wins before suit, while 9♦ beats 9♣ because the ranks match and Diamonds sit above Clubs. Suppose the current play is Q♣ and you hold Q♦, K♠, and A♣: all three can beat it, since Q♦ wins on suit while the King and Ace win on rank. Which card you spend is a later decision, not a ranking puzzle. Keeping the Ace for a future fight often matters more than winning this one as cheaply as possible, and that judgement lives in Thirteen (Tiến Lên) Strategy. Among ordinary singles, 2♥ is the top card, though eligible bombs can still beat a lone 2 while the battle continues.

Pairs compare rank, then the top suit

A pair is two cards of the same rank, such as 5♠ + 5♥, J♣ + J♦, or A♠ + A♥. To beat a pair in ordinary play you need another pair, and a higher rank wins: Tens beat nines, Kings beat Queens, and a pair of 2s is the strongest ordinary pair by rank. If both pairs share a rank, compare the highest-suited card in each pair, so 9♠ + 9♥ beats 9♣ + 9♦ because both are nines and the fight reduces to 9♥ against 9♦. You do not add suit values, and you do not start with the lower card. When a pair of 9s is out and you hold both 10♠ + 10♣ and K♦ + K♥, either pair is legal: the Kings are stronger on paper, the Tens may be the smarter spend, and ranking only tells you what can answer while strategy decides whether to answer at all.

Triples stay in their own lane

A triple is three cards of one rank, such as 8♠ + 8♣ + 8♥, and you beat it with a higher triple. Three Queens beat three Jacks, three Aces beat three Kings, and three 2s top the ordinary triples. A pair of Aces cannot climb over three 6s, no matter how pretty the Aces look, because the types do not match. With one standard deck, two players cannot hold separate triples of the same rank (that would need six copies), so in normal play triple fights are decided by rank alone.

Four of a kind has two jobs

Four of a kind uses every suit of one rank, written as 10♠ + 10♣ + 10♦ + 10♥. As an ordinary climb, a higher four-of-a-kind beats a lower one: four Kings beat four Queens, four Aces beat four Kings, and four 2s are highest by rank. The same shape also has a bomb role against a single 2, but that special job does not turn four of a kind into a universal answer. It cannot reply to an ordinary straight, or to a non-2 single, merely because it can bomb elsewhere. Keep the two uses separate: climb against another four-of-a-kind, or use the specific bomb exception against a lone 2.

What counts as a straight

A straight is one card from each of three or more consecutive ranks, and suits can mix. Valid shapes include 4-5-6, 7-8-9-10, and 9-10-J-Q-K. On Solitaire Arcade, 2s never join a straight, and ranks never wrap: Q-K-A is fine, while K-A-2 and A-2-3 are not. An Ace can finish a straight, but it cannot restart one at the bottom. Each rank appears once, so two 7s plus an 8 is not a straight, and 5-6-8 fails because the 7 is missing. The 2 is still the strongest ordinary single, but it sits outside straight building entirely.

Straights must match length first

Answering a straight means matching its card count. A four-card straight needs another four-card straight, and a longer straight is not a free upgrade into a shorter fight. For equal lengths, compare the highest card's rank: 7-8-9-10 beats 6-7-8-9 because both have four cards and the first ends on a 10 rather than a 9. A 10-J-Q cannot answer 6-7-8-9; it tops out higher, but it only has three cards. If the top ranks match, compare the suit of that top card, so 5♠ + 6♣ + 7♥ beats 5♦ + 6♥ + 7♣ because both are three-card straights ending on 7 and the 7♥ beats the 7♣. Suits on the 5s and 6s do not matter.

Consecutive pairs need three pairs minimum

Consecutive pairs (pair runs) are three or more pairs whose ranks sit next to each other. A three-pair run looks like 5-5, 6-6, 7-7 and uses six cards; a four-pair run looks like 8-8, 9-9, 10-10, J-J and uses eight. Two consecutive pairs, such as 8-8, 9-9, are not a legal combination on Solitaire Arcade: you cannot lead them glued together or answer with them as one play, though you can still drop either pair alone when the current fight is a pair. Each rank in the run contributes exactly two cards, with no gaps, and suits may mix. As with straights, 2s are out and ranks never wrap, so Q-Q, K-K, A-A is legal while K-K, A-A, 2-2 is not.

Equal-length pair runs compare at the top

An ordinary answer to a pair run needs the same number of pairs: three consecutive pairs need three, and four need four. For equal lengths, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8 beats 5-5, 6-6, 7-7 because both runs have three pairs and the first reaches a higher top rank. A four-pair run cannot answer a three-pair run just because it contains more cards. When the top ranks are equal, compare the highest-suited card in the top pair: a run ending in 8♠ + 8♥ beats an equal-length run ending in 8♣ + 8♦, with 8♥ and 8♦ as the deciding cards and lower-pair suits staying out of it. Pair runs can also bomb specific plays of 2s, but that exception does not erase the matching-length rule when one run answers another.

High cards that still cannot answer

Picture a pair of 6s on the table while you hold A♥ plus 8♣ + 8♦. The Ace is a stronger single than either 8, yet it cannot touch the pair; only the pair of 8s matches the type. The same filter applies to longer shapes: against 5-6-7-8, a 9-10-J straight is too short, and against four consecutive pairs, three consecutive pairs fail even if their top rank looks higher. Before you argue about strength, ask whether the selection is a legal combination of the required type and size. That one check removes most beginner ranking mistakes. Players used to Hearts, where you follow suit and shed danger, sometimes expect a loud card to solve any fight; Thirteen cares first about matching the shape already led.

Bombs break the matching rule in narrow ways

Most replies follow one pattern: match type and size, then play something higher. Bombs are the main exception, and only against specific plays of 2s. On Solitaire Arcade, four of a kind or exactly three consecutive pairs can beat a single 2; exactly four consecutive pairs can beat a pair of 2s; and exactly five consecutive pairs can beat a triple of 2s. Those are narrow matches, not a rule that any larger bomb beats anything on the table, so four consecutive pairs do not bomb a single 2, and four of a kind does not bomb a pair of 2s. After a bomb lands, a higher combination of that same type and length can beat it through ordinary comparison. There is no universal ladder where every bigger bomb automatically eats a smaller one. Legal examples, counter-bombs, and the passing exception belong in Thirteen Bomb Rules: What Can Beat a 2 in Tiến Lên?.

Why 2s sit outside the runs

A 2 is the strongest ordinary rank: a single 2 beats an Ace, a pair of 2s tops ordinary pairs, and a triple of 2s tops ordinary triples. At the same time, 2s cannot appear in straights or consecutive-pair runs, and eligible bombs can beat plays of 2s, so strength and restriction travel together. There is also a finishing detail on Solitaire Arcade: once a legal play empties your hand, your place is locked, and a later bomb cannot undo that finish. You still need a legal chance to spend a final 2; as an ordinary single it cannot answer a pair or a straight. If you already know the auction-and-kitty rhythm of How to Play 500, this will feel like a different sport: no bid, no trump, just whether the combination in front of you is something your remaining cards can legally climb.

Check the shape, then climb

Before you compare strength, confirm the selection is a legal combination. Straights need at least three cards, consecutive pairs need at least three pairs, and neither shape can include a 2. Next, match the current type and size unless a valid bomb exception applies. Only then compare the highest rank, and use suit when those ranks are equal; in a pair run, that means the highest-suited card of the top pair. Once those checks feel automatic, you can spend attention on which legal answer helps the rest of your hand. When you want the comparisons under your fingers instead of on the page, play Thirteen online and practise matching length before you argue about who has the louder top card.

Thirteen Card Rankings and Combinations: What Beats What in Tiến Lên?

Thirteen, also known as Tiến Lên or Tien Len, is a climbing game. You beat the current play with a higher legal combination, or you pass and wait for the next battle. High cards alone do not save you: an ordinary response has to match the type and size of what is already on the table before anyone compares strength. A pair does not climb over a straight just because the pair looks louder, and a triple cannot answer a pair either. Rank comes first inside a matched fight, and suit only settles ties.

That matching habit is the whole ranking story on Solitaire Arcade. Bombs are the main exception, and they get only a short place here so this page stays about ordinary combinations. For deal, lead, and turn flow, start with the How to Play Thirteen guide.

Rank order from 3 up to 2

From low to high, the ranks run 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace, 2. A 3 is the floor and a 2 is the highest ordinary rank, so a 7 beats a 6, a Queen beats a Jack, an Ace beats a King, and a 2 beats an Ace when you are comparing singles. The same ladder applies inside matching pairs, triples, and four-of-a-kind plays. Putting the 2 above the Ace is the first surprise for players coming from Ace-high tables: in How to Play Spades, Ace still tops the suit, while here the 2 owns the ordinary top, though it cannot join straights or consecutive-pair runs.

Suit only settles equal ranks

When the ranks you are comparing are equal, suit breaks the tie. On Solitaire Arcade the suit order from low to high is Spades, Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, so among four 9s the order is 9♠ < 9♣ < 9♦ < 9♥. Heart is highest within a rank, but rank still outranks suit: a 10♠ beats a 9♥, and J♠ beats 10♥ even though Spades sit at the bottom of the suit ladder. There is no trump that lets a lower rank steal a higher one. If you want a contrast where suit identity changes the whole hand (bowers and trump), 500 Card Rankings Explained is the place; Thirteen keeps printed suits fixed and only uses them as a tiebreaker.

Singles climb on rank first

A single is one card, and you beat an ordinary single with a higher single. 7♣ beats 6♥ because rank wins before suit, while 9♦ beats 9♣ because the ranks match and Diamonds sit above Clubs. Suppose the current play is Q♣ and you hold Q♦, K♠, and A♣: all three can beat it, since Q♦ wins on suit while the King and Ace win on rank. Which card you spend is a later decision, not a ranking puzzle. Keeping the Ace for a future fight often matters more than winning this one as cheaply as possible, and that judgement lives in Thirteen (Tiến Lên) Strategy. Among ordinary singles, 2♥ is the top card, though eligible bombs can still beat a lone 2 while the battle continues.

Pairs compare rank, then the top suit

A pair is two cards of the same rank, such as 5♠ + 5♥, J♣ + J♦, or A♠ + A♥. To beat a pair in ordinary play you need another pair, and a higher rank wins: Tens beat nines, Kings beat Queens, and a pair of 2s is the strongest ordinary pair by rank. If both pairs share a rank, compare the highest-suited card in each pair, so 9♠ + 9♥ beats 9♣ + 9♦ because both are nines and the fight reduces to 9♥ against 9♦. You do not add suit values, and you do not start with the lower card. When a pair of 9s is out and you hold both 10♠ + 10♣ and K♦ + K♥, either pair is legal: the Kings are stronger on paper, the Tens may be the smarter spend, and ranking only tells you what can answer while strategy decides whether to answer at all.

Triples stay in their own lane

A triple is three cards of one rank, such as 8♠ + 8♣ + 8♥, and you beat it with a higher triple. Three Queens beat three Jacks, three Aces beat three Kings, and three 2s top the ordinary triples. A pair of Aces cannot climb over three 6s, no matter how pretty the Aces look, because the types do not match. With one standard deck, two players cannot hold separate triples of the same rank (that would need six copies), so in normal play triple fights are decided by rank alone.

Four of a kind has two jobs

Four of a kind uses every suit of one rank, written as 10♠ + 10♣ + 10♦ + 10♥. As an ordinary climb, a higher four-of-a-kind beats a lower one: four Kings beat four Queens, four Aces beat four Kings, and four 2s are highest by rank. The same shape also has a bomb role against a single 2, but that special job does not turn four of a kind into a universal answer. It cannot reply to an ordinary straight, or to a non-2 single, merely because it can bomb elsewhere. Keep the two uses separate: climb against another four-of-a-kind, or use the specific bomb exception against a lone 2.

What counts as a straight

A straight is one card from each of three or more consecutive ranks, and suits can mix. Valid shapes include 4-5-6, 7-8-9-10, and 9-10-J-Q-K. On Solitaire Arcade, 2s never join a straight, and ranks never wrap: Q-K-A is fine, while K-A-2 and A-2-3 are not. An Ace can finish a straight, but it cannot restart one at the bottom. Each rank appears once, so two 7s plus an 8 is not a straight, and 5-6-8 fails because the 7 is missing. The 2 is still the strongest ordinary single, but it sits outside straight building entirely.

Straights must match length first

Answering a straight means matching its card count. A four-card straight needs another four-card straight, and a longer straight is not a free upgrade into a shorter fight. For equal lengths, compare the highest card's rank: 7-8-9-10 beats 6-7-8-9 because both have four cards and the first ends on a 10 rather than a 9. A 10-J-Q cannot answer 6-7-8-9; it tops out higher, but it only has three cards. If the top ranks match, compare the suit of that top card, so 5♠ + 6♣ + 7♥ beats 5♦ + 6♥ + 7♣ because both are three-card straights ending on 7 and the 7♥ beats the 7♣. Suits on the 5s and 6s do not matter.

Consecutive pairs need three pairs minimum

Consecutive pairs (pair runs) are three or more pairs whose ranks sit next to each other. A three-pair run looks like 5-5, 6-6, 7-7 and uses six cards; a four-pair run looks like 8-8, 9-9, 10-10, J-J and uses eight. Two consecutive pairs, such as 8-8, 9-9, are not a legal combination on Solitaire Arcade: you cannot lead them glued together or answer with them as one play, though you can still drop either pair alone when the current fight is a pair. Each rank in the run contributes exactly two cards, with no gaps, and suits may mix. As with straights, 2s are out and ranks never wrap, so Q-Q, K-K, A-A is legal while K-K, A-A, 2-2 is not.

Equal-length pair runs compare at the top

An ordinary answer to a pair run needs the same number of pairs: three consecutive pairs need three, and four need four. For equal lengths, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8 beats 5-5, 6-6, 7-7 because both runs have three pairs and the first reaches a higher top rank. A four-pair run cannot answer a three-pair run just because it contains more cards. When the top ranks are equal, compare the highest-suited card in the top pair: a run ending in 8♠ + 8♥ beats an equal-length run ending in 8♣ + 8♦, with 8♥ and 8♦ as the deciding cards and lower-pair suits staying out of it. Pair runs can also bomb specific plays of 2s, but that exception does not erase the matching-length rule when one run answers another.

High cards that still cannot answer

Picture a pair of 6s on the table while you hold A♥ plus 8♣ + 8♦. The Ace is a stronger single than either 8, yet it cannot touch the pair; only the pair of 8s matches the type. The same filter applies to longer shapes: against 5-6-7-8, a 9-10-J straight is too short, and against four consecutive pairs, three consecutive pairs fail even if their top rank looks higher. Before you argue about strength, ask whether the selection is a legal combination of the required type and size. That one check removes most beginner ranking mistakes. Players used to Hearts, where you follow suit and shed danger, sometimes expect a loud card to solve any fight; Thirteen cares first about matching the shape already led.

Bombs break the matching rule in narrow ways

Most replies follow one pattern: match type and size, then play something higher. Bombs are the main exception, and only against specific plays of 2s. On Solitaire Arcade, four of a kind or exactly three consecutive pairs can beat a single 2; exactly four consecutive pairs can beat a pair of 2s; and exactly five consecutive pairs can beat a triple of 2s. Those are narrow matches, not a rule that any larger bomb beats anything on the table, so four consecutive pairs do not bomb a single 2, and four of a kind does not bomb a pair of 2s. After a bomb lands, a higher combination of that same type and length can beat it through ordinary comparison. There is no universal ladder where every bigger bomb automatically eats a smaller one. Legal examples, counter-bombs, and the passing exception belong in Thirteen Bomb Rules: What Can Beat a 2 in Tiến Lên?.

Why 2s sit outside the runs

A 2 is the strongest ordinary rank: a single 2 beats an Ace, a pair of 2s tops ordinary pairs, and a triple of 2s tops ordinary triples. At the same time, 2s cannot appear in straights or consecutive-pair runs, and eligible bombs can beat plays of 2s, so strength and restriction travel together. There is also a finishing detail on Solitaire Arcade: once a legal play empties your hand, your place is locked, and a later bomb cannot undo that finish. You still need a legal chance to spend a final 2; as an ordinary single it cannot answer a pair or a straight. If you already know the auction-and-kitty rhythm of How to Play 500, this will feel like a different sport: no bid, no trump, just whether the combination in front of you is something your remaining cards can legally climb.

Check the shape, then climb

Before you compare strength, confirm the selection is a legal combination. Straights need at least three cards, consecutive pairs need at least three pairs, and neither shape can include a 2. Next, match the current type and size unless a valid bomb exception applies. Only then compare the highest rank, and use suit when those ranks are equal; in a pair run, that means the highest-suited card of the top pair. Once those checks feel automatic, you can spend attention on which legal answer helps the rest of your hand. When you want the comparisons under your fingers instead of on the page, play Thirteen online and practise matching length before you argue about who has the louder top card.