How to play Siete y Media (Seven and a Half): rules, card values and strategy

In Siete y Media (Seven and a Half), players aim to reach exactly 7.5 points or get as close as possible without going over. Number cards are worth their face value, while the sota (jack), caballo (knight) and rey (king) are worth half a point each. Anyone who goes over the limit automatically loses.

A timeless favourite

In many homes, this is the Christmas Eve game: it’s easy to deal, takes a minute to explain, and grandparents and grandchildren can all join in. Traditionally, people play with chickpeas or counters, or simply keep score on a piece of paper.

How to play

• One person acts as the banker and deals one card face down to each player.
• Each player looks at their card and decides whether to stand or ask for another card, which is dealt face up.
• You can ask for as many cards as you like. If you go over 7.5, you lose.
• The banker plays last, then the totals are compared. Whoever gets closest to 7.5 wins.

When should you ask for another card?

This is where a little arithmetic comes in. With 4 or less, it’s almost always worth asking for another card: no card can take you over the limit. With 6, things change: only the as (ace), the court cards and little else will help. With 6.5 or 7, standing is usually the sensible choice. If you’re interested in the maths, we explain it in probability for beginners.

One important detail

The banker wins ties. That makes being the banker an advantage, so players usually take turns in the role. And one more thing: we play for fun here. At Lascuarenta, there’s no money involved in any game, and that’s how we like it.