What Is Coon Can?
Coon Can is generally treated as another name for Conquian, a two-player rummy-type game that is often described as an ancestor of Gin Rummy. Sources disagree on exact details, and some use the name for slightly different variants, so the rules below follow the most commonly published version of Conquian. Some players prefer the name Conquian today.
Historians suggest the game appeared in Mexico and the American Southwest in the 1800s. Its name is often connected to the Spanish phrase “con quién”, meaning “with whom”, though origins are debated.
What You Need
- Two players.
- A standard 52-card deck with the 8s, 9s and 10s removed, leaving 40 cards.
- Optional paper and pencil for tracking games won.
Card Order
Kings are high and aces are low. In this reduced deck, the jack and seven are considered to be next to each other in sequence, since the 8s through 10s are missing. An ace can start a run (A-2-3) but is not used after the king.
The Goal
Each player tries to form melds from all the cards they take. A meld is one of two kinds:
- A set: three or four cards of the same rank.
- A sequence: three or more cards of the same suit in order.
The goal is to be the first to have exactly 11 cards melded.
Dealing
Each player is dealt 10 cards. The remaining cards form a face-down stock, and no upcard is turned. Choose the first dealer by drawing cards, with the lowest card dealing, though any agreed method works.
How a Turn Works
This is the main difference from standard rummy. Cards you draw cannot simply be held for later.
- Take a card. Either take the top card of the opponent’s discard pile and meld it immediately, or turn up the top card of the stock.
- Use or discard it. If you turned a stock card, you must meld it using cards from your hand or discard it. You cannot keep it in your hand unmatched.
- Meld and lay off. After a discard pickup or stock draw, you may lay down additional melds or add cards to your existing melds.
- Discard when required. If you took a discard and melded it, you finish your turn by discarding a card from your hand.
The non-dealer begins by turning up the top stock card, which must be melded or discarded.
Rearranging Melds
You may rearrange your own melds as long as every group stays valid. For example, if you melded J-7-6 and then get a 5, you could add the 5 to the sequence, remove the jack, and use it in a set of three jacks.
Forced Layoffs
If a card you take could be added to one of your existing melds, your opponent may require you to add it. This is sometimes used as a rule to prevent players from holding back.
Going Out and Winning a Deal
The deal ends when a player has 11 melded cards. A player may run out of cards in hand and still continue, because they need another card to reach 11.
Scoring
Scoring varies between sources, and many players keep it simple. Each deal is its own game, and the winner of the deal wins that game. Groups often play a set number of games or first to a target number of wins.
If the stock runs out before either player reaches 11 melded cards, rules differ. One common approach is to count the deal as a tie and play again, while another has the next game count double. Agree on one before starting.
Discards
Discards are placed face up where both players can see them. The discard pile is not hidden, so careful tracking of opponent discards can tell you what they do and do not need.
Can You Play With Three Players?
Conquian is traditionally a two-player game. Some groups adapt it to three people by taking turns and sharing the stock, but there is no widely agreed version, so treat it as a house rule and decide in advance how turns and discards work.
Tips for Beginners
- Remember that you cannot hold a drawn card. Plan your hand around what you can meld immediately.
- Keep an eye on the discard pile for cards your opponent keeps passing.
- Use rearranging to turn a stuck sequence into a set when possible.
- Compare this game with Five Crowns if you want to try a rummy variant that lets you keep unmatched cards.
Because good play depends on remembering what has been discarded, meld games like this pair well with the ideas in card games for memory improvement.