Strategy: when to keep your 7, when to spend your joker

Watch the pile, not your hand

Every card you see played is a card nobody can attack you with. Count the 2s, the 3s and the jokers as they go down: once both jokers are out, the biggest hit left at the table is a 3.

Keep your 7 for a tall pile

A 7 cancels the whole attack, not just the last card. Spent on a +2 it saves you two cards; held until +10 or +15 it saves you a hand. Play it early only when it is the last card you need to get rid of.

A seven is a shield, not a sword. Hold it until the pile is tall.

Time the 4 and the ace

A 4 is best played on the player about to go out: one skipped turn is often the difference between first and second. The ace is your way out of a suit you don’t hold — name the suit you have most of, not the one you hope for.

Spend the joker power-up late

The joker power-up pulls a card of your choice once a game. Early, it fixes a bad hand; late, it wins one. If you can still play from your hand, keep it.

Never forget the call

Say Macau as you play your second-to-last card. Five cards for a forgotten call undo the best game you’ve played.