How to play Ninety-Nine
Ninety-Nine is a quick pile-counting game for 2 to 6 players. Add cards to a running total, land on 33, 66 or 99 exactly, and never go over. The last player with tokens wins.
The aim
Be the last player with tokens. Everyone starts with the same number: 3, 5, 7 or 9 offline, 9 online.
Your turn
You hold 3 cards. Play one onto the pile: its value changes the total. Then you draw a new card. The total starts at 0 every round.
33, 66 and 99
- Going up onto exactly 33 or 66: everyone else loses 1 token. Landing there on the way down doesn't count.
- Exactly 99: everyone else loses 2 tokens, and the round ends.
- Going past 33 or past 66: you lose 1 token.
- Going over 99: you lose 2 tokens, and the round ends.
- No cards left on your turn: you lose 3 tokens, and the round ends.
What each card does
| Card | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ace | Plus 1 or plus 11, your choice |
| 2 | Below 50, doubles the total. At 50 or more, halves an even total and doubles an odd one, which always goes over 99 |
| 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 | Add their number |
| 4 | Adds 4; with three or more players, reverses the direction of play |
| 9 | Adds nothing; the total stays the same |
| 10 | Plus 10 or minus 10, your choice |
| Jack | Plus 10, and the next player is skipped |
| Queen, King | Plus 10 |
Playing online
- With a turn timer, a card is played for you if your time runs out. You hear a warning at 10 seconds.
- If a player loses connection, their turns are played for them until they're back. If the room's host drops out, another player carries the game on.
- Leaving a game before it ends counts as a loss. After a game, whoever runs the room can start a new one with Play again.
Strategy tips
- Keep a 9 or a 10. They're your way out when the total is close to a milestone.
- Aces and 10s land exactly. Save them to hit 33, 66 or 99.
- Count before you play. At 28, a 5 makes 33 and everyone else pays.
Tips for screen reader users
- Each card button says what the total becomes, and warns you before a card that costs tokens.
- The Game status button says the pile, whose turn it is, everyone's tokens and your cards.
- An Ace or a 10 opens a screen to choose its value; Back cancels.
- Before a card that would take you over 99, you're asked first if another card is safe.
Ready to play?
Open Baazi Club, choose Ninety-Nine, then Play Offline (against bots) or Play Online.