What Is Seep?
Seep (also called Sweep or Shiv) is a partnership‑style card game for two or four players, where every card dealt remains face‑up on the table, and players alternate building “houses” or capturing cards to amass points—making both strategy and memory vital for success
How to play Seep
- Goal: Outscore the opposing side by capturing cards worth points and earning bonus “sweep” rewards; the first team to lead by 100 points wins the match (“baazi”).
- Scoring cards (17 in total):
- Spades count at face value (Ace = 1 up through King = 13).
- Non‑spade Aces (♥, ♦, ♣) are 1 point each.
- 10 ♦ is worth 6 points.
- Sweep bonus: Clearing all table cards in a single play nets 50 extra points—except if done on the very first move (worth 25) or the final move of the deal (no bonus).
Setup & Initial Play
- Dealing: Shuffle a standard 52‑card deck. Deal 4 cards each to all players and place 4 cards face‑up in the centre.
- Bid requirement: The first player to act (to the dealer’s right) must hold at least one card whose rank is 9 or higher; if not, the hand is redealt.
- Bid resolution: That opening player may then use their hand to either:
- Build a house matching the bid value,
- Capture existing cards or sets equal to the bid value, or
- Lay down a loose card of that value as a new card on the table.
- Complete the deal: Finish dealing the remainder in packets of four so each hand ends with 11 cards.
Turn Mechanics
- On your turn you play exactly one card from your hand.
- Building a house: Combine that card with table cards so the pile sums to between 9 and 13. Houses can be “cemented” by adding multiple copies of the pile value, preventing opponents from breaking them later.
- Capturing loose cards or sets: A card played equal to a loose card’s face value captures it; if it equals the total of several loose cards, you capture them as a set.
- Taking a house: Playing a card matching a house’s value sweeps up the entire pile.
- Forced captures: If your card could capture both loose cards and houses, you must take all eligible captures in one move.
The “Sweep” Bonus
When you remove all cards from the table in a single play, it’s called a sweep (or “seep”), awarding your team the bonus points detailed above. Sweeps can drastically shift momentum, as the next opponent must play a loose card—often setting up further sweeps.
Finishing the Deal & Match Formats
- End of deal: After every card is played, tally points from captured Spades, Aces, 10 ♦, and any sweep bonuses.
- Single round: Play one deal and compare scores—highest wins.
- Baazi mode: Best of five deals; the first team to build a 100‑point lead overall takes the match.
Strategy Tips
- Build houses early to lock down key values, but avoid cementing too many until you’re ready—cemented houses are hard to break yourself.
- Keep mental track of remaining high‑value cards (Spades and the 10 ♦), then plan captures to deny opponents.
- Sometimes sacrificing a small capture sets up a larger sweep next turn—eye the board for those opportunities.
- Use your partner’s plays to infer which cards they hold, coordinating attacks on important piles.
Play Seep on Mobile
Download our Seep – Sweep Cards Game and put these tactics into practice with live, global matchmaking and in‑depth performance stats:
- Android: Install on Google Play
- iOS: Get it on the App Store
Enjoy seamless gameplay, track your win‑loss record, and climb the leaderboards—master the classic Indian card game Seep today!